Explanation

Please read the following passage and select the answer to the following question:

In 2018, a new word entered Silicon Valley's lexicon: the "tech-lash", or the risk of a consumer and regulatory revolt against big tech. Today, that threat seems empty. Even as regulators discuss new rules and activists fret about the right to privacy, the shares of the five biggest American tech firms have been on a jaw-dropping bull run over the past 12 months, rising by 52%. The increase in the firm's combined value, of almost $2trn, is hard to get your head around: it is roughly equivalent to Germany's entire stock market. Four of the five— Alphabet, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft— are each now worth over $1trn. (Facebook is worth a mere $620bn). For all the talk of a tech-lash, fund managers in Boston, London and Singapore have shrugged off and moved on. Their calculus is that nothing can stop these firms, which are destined to earn untold riches.

This surge in tech giants' share prices raises two worries. One whether investors have stoked a speculative bubble. The five firms, worth $5.6trn, make up almost a fifth of the value of the S&P 500 index of American shares. The last time the market was so concentrated was 20 years ago, before a crash that triggered a widespread downturn. The other, opposite concern is that investors may be right. The big tech firms' supersized valuations suggest that their profits will double or so in the next decade, causing far greater economic tremors in rich countries and an alarming concentration of economic and political power.

The fund managers have continued to invest in the 5 big-tech firms despite talks of a tech lash.

• No

• Yes

• Can't say

  Explanation:  

  The passage clearly states:  

  "For all the talk of a tech-lash, fund managers in Boston, London and Singapore have shrugged off and moved on."  

  This means they continued to invest in the big-tech firms despite the concerns.

Explanation

Please read the following passage and select answer the following question:

Vasco da Gama was born in about 1460 into a noble family. Little is known of his early life. In 1497, he was appointed to command an expedition equipped by the Portuguese government, whose intention was to find a maritime route to the East.

Setting off in July 1497, da Gama’s expedition took advantage of the prevailing winds by sailing south down the coast of Africa, then veering far out into the Atlantic and swinging back in an arc to arrive off the southern African coast. This established a route still followed by sailing vessels. The expedition then rounded the Cape of Good and, after sailing up the coast of east Africa, took on an Arab navigator who helped them reach the Indian coast, at Calicut (now Kozhikode) in May 1498. This voyage launched the all-water route from Europe to Asia.

Da Gama returned to Portugal. The king immediately dispatched another expedition to secure a trading post at Calicut. After hearing of the massacre of all those at the trading post, da Gama sailed for India again in 1502 attacking Arab Muslim ships he met on the way. He forced the ruler of Calicut to make peace and, on his return voyage along the east African coast established Portuguese trading posts in what is now Mozambique.

When was Vasco Da Gama’s first expedition?

• 1498

• 1642

• 1947

• 1497

The passage states: "Setting off in July 1497, da Gama’s expedition..."  

This clearly indicates that his first expedition began in 1497.

Explanation

Passage for Reading & Comprehension: Akhtar came late from school one day. He was feeling CROSS and looked untidy. WHEN mother asked him the reason, he did not answer. Everybody was surprised to find him so. As the family sat down to lunch, the children’s favourite uncle, Mr. Inayat, came to visit them. The children were very happy to see him BECAUSE he had been to many parts of the world and always told them interesting things. Even Akhtar was not cross any more.

Akhtar’s sister Rukhsana told uncle Inayat THAT he had come home unhappy. Uncle Inayat looked at him and asked him what had happened. He said: “Uncle, WE are having the social service work at school and HAVE TO DO THE WORK OF SERVANTS AND GARDENERS. The teacher made me dust the cupboard and the desks.”

1. Akhtar came late from school one day because ______? The teacher made him dust the cupboard and the desks

2. Akhtar did not answer his mother why he had come home late because ______? He was feeling cross and looked untidy

3. “Everybody was surprised to find him so.” The above sentence refers back mainly to which of the following two words? Cross, untidy

4. The word “cross” means _____? Annoyed or quite angry

5. The word “when” appearing in the third sentence of the first paragraph is _____? Conjunction

6. The word “because” appearing in the first paragraph is _____? Conjunction

7. “Even Akhtar was not cross any more” because ______? The children’s favourite uncle, Mr. Inayat, came to visit them, and they were very happy.

8. The word “that” appearing in the first sentence of the second paragraph is a ______? Communication

9. The sentence “We have to do the work of servants and gardeners,” denotes ______ in the context. Complex

10. How many complete sentences of the passage have been written in the past indefinite tense? Nineteen

Explanation

Passage for Reading & Comprehension: Road users NEED TO BE MADE AWARE of safety factors that can make roads safe for use. A number of strategies can be adopted for this purpose. The MEDIA, both radio and television, can give people road safety instructions through appealing programmes. Schools can contact their local police stations to request traffic education for their students. The traffic police need to teach traffic rules to the people who apply for driving licenses.

Parents also have a big responsibility. They must understand that safe roads will keep their families safe and protect them from the grief and harm that road accidents cause. They need to advise their children on road safety. Sometimes, children who are underage drive cars as well as motorcycles that they borrow or rent. They often drive too fast and carelessly. Here, the parents’ role is very important. They must not allow their children to drive without a driving license. Moreover, they should teach them, from an early age, not to play on the roads and how to cross the road safely.

1. The word “aware” is used as ______? Adjective

2. The words most used in the second paragraph of the passage about traffic are ______? Road(s), safe, safely, safety

3. “Can” appearing four times in the first paragraph has been used as ______? Both a modal and auxiliary verb

4. How many to be/be verbs are used in the passage? Two

5. The passage is mainly about ______? Safe roads and traffic safety

6. The passage is written in ______? Present Indefinite Tense

7. The word “media”_______? Is used as plural of noun medium

8. “Road users need to be made aware of safety factors”. Structure of the above cited sentence from the passage makes a ______? Sentence in passive voice 

9. Four most important words noted throughout the passage are ______? Road safety, traffic rules

10. How many nouns relating to persons are mentioned in the passage? (Nouns that are repeated may be included in the count). Twelve

Explanation

Passage for Reading & Comprehension: Long ago, there were some wandering entertainers in Pakistan such as monkey men, bear men, jugglers, magicians, snake charmers, and acrobats. They would go to public places, lane to lane, village to village, town to town, and ground to ground for making their living. Monkey man would play on a tambourine and make his monkey dance. The monkey, being a trained animal, would MAKE FACES at by standers, frolic, imitate a FURIOUS husband, and pick up coins thrown by standers from the ground. Some children would follow him for fun. The bear man would walk his bear through the lanes and make it dance to the tune of the tambourine. In this way, both the monkey man and bear man would make their LIVING. The juggler would juggle with things. He would throw a set of three or four objects such as balls into the air and catch them and throw them again quickly one at a time.

The magician would perform magic tricks. Children and the youth would take keen interest in his magic tricks and enjoy themselves very much. The acrobat would show feats of his strength, entertain the youth and the old people alike, and make his living. He would perform difficult acts such as balancing on high ropes. Snake charmers would play on pipes and make cobras dance to their tunes. Once often seen, such wandering entertainers across the country are now not much seen there. Their live performances in the open air, at schools and colleges, and in lanes are now FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

1. How many wandering entertainers are mentioned in the passage? Six

2. How many animals are mentioned in the passage that dance to the tune of tambourines and pipes? Three

3. Meaning of the phrase “make faces” is? To produce an expression on your face to show that you do not like somebody or something or in order to make somebody laugh

4. Meaning of the phrase “few and far between” is? No happening often

5. The meaning of the word “furious” is? Very angry

6. Of all the wandering entertainers, whose performance is hard? Acrobat

7. Except for the last two sentences, the whole passage has been composed in? Past Indefinite Tense

8. The word “living” means? Money to buy the things that you need in life

9. Right antonym (opposite meaning word) of “Often” is? Seldom

10. How many places are mentioned in the passage where the wandering entertainers used to go to make their living? Five

Explanation

Passage for Reading & Comprehension: Plastic bags cause land destruction because plastic can turn good fertile land into barren land. This is BECAUSE, according to scientists, plastic takes more than 500 years to break down in a landfill.

Moreover, scientists have also found that plastic bags can be a source of many deadly diseases such as cancer, birth defects, immune damage, and asthma.

According to the Minister of Climate Change, more than 55 billion plastic shopping bags are being used in Pakistan, and their use is GOING UP every year by about 15%.

The government should CONDUCT surveys to see how much damage is caused to the environment and people’s health by plastic bags. STEPS should then be taken to create awareness among the people about the loss of fertile land for future generations and the health risks in using plastic bags. Moreover, laws should be passed to reduce the use of plastic bags TO AN ESSENTIAL MINIMUM.

1. The first paragraph of the passage is mainly about ______? Plastic bags and agricultural land

2. The word "because" appearing in the first paragraph has been used as ______? A conjunction

3. In the second sentence of the first paragraph, there are two commas that set off or separate “because” from the rest of the words. What is the use of these commas? These commas separate scientists’ opinion from “This is because” by enclosing in them propositions “according to”

4. Word “found” used about scientists in the second paragraph means ______? Discovered

5. The phrase “going up” means ______? Increasing

6. The word “conduct” in the first sentence of the last paragraph means ______? Organize or do

7. Word “steps” means ______? Measures of a series of things to do

8. Sentence: “Steps should then be taken” denotes ______? Importance

9. The phrase to an essential minimum, used in the end of the passage, means _____? Extremely important, indispensable

10. Except for a few sentences, the passage is mainly composed in ______? Present Indefinite Tense

Explanation

Passage for Reading & Comprehension: SHEEPS ARE BRED IN LARGE HERDS on the green slopes of the northern region. THE FAVOURITE FOOD OF THE PEOPLE IS MEAT. Roast mutton and spicy chapli kababs are POPULAR DISHES. They are frequently prepared at special Kabab shops. The Pathans are very HOSPITABLE by nature. Their generosity to their guests is well known. They will protect a visitor or a person whom they have given refuge, even at the cost of their own lives. Marriages are arranged by parents.

1. "Sheep are bred in large herds." The above cited sentence from the above passage? Has been written in passive voice

2. "The favourite food of the people is meat." Suitable one-word for the people mentioned in the above sentence is? Carnivorous

3. "Popular dishes" mean? Food liked and enjoyed by a large number of people

4. "Pathans" has the definite articles (the) before it because? The Pathans are a particular group sharing the same religion, race, customs and culture

5. The plural of word "sheep" is the same (sheep). Some other statics examples of kind of nouns are? Bread, aircraft, deer, the radio

6. The word "bred" is the third form of one of the following words? Breed

7. The word "herds" is used as a? Common noun

9. According to the passage, the word “Chapli Kababs” is originally from which language? Urdu language

8. The word "hospitable" means? Pleased to welcome guests

10. Except for one sentence, the above cited passage is written in? Present Indefinite Tense

Explanation

Passage for Reading & Comprehension: Some are high-born, some are low-born, some are greatness thrust on, most are born of poor parents, and some are born of unknown parents. Sadoro was BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN HIS MOUTH. His father rolled in many. He ran a roaring business that made him mint money. Sadoro was brought up by an old nurse and taught by and lived with a governess in his father’s home. He was given a best education. He always paid attention to personal grooming. He being the eldest of his SIBLINGS, his parents loved him passionately and took great care of his health, education and personal growth. Everything went well with him until he CAME OF AGE. Once he heard his father say that friends cannot be made, they can only be had. Sadoro made friends with some of his classmates who belonged to good middle-class families. He would share good ideas about life with them, and they would also share with him their good experiences and nice pieces of advice.

However well Sadoro lived his life, things changed all of a sudden. As all-luck would have it, he fell a prey to a bad company. His old friends warned him against falling victim to his new friends’ bad habits and misdeeds. But he would PAY A DEAF EAR to their sincere exhortions and instructions. He started smoking first and took to alcohol later. He would HANG OUT with his new friends and come home late in the night. His parents condemned him for his being wayward and were concerned about his health and future academic pursuits and career. They became DISILLUSIONED with him for their son who they always took to be a GENUINE PRECIOUS STONE unfortunately turned to be A FLAWED ONE. What a great pity!

1. How many kinds of persons, by origins, including Sadoro, are mentioned in the passage? Six

2. What is meaning of the phrase "Born with a silver spoon in his mouth"? Born in a very rich family

3. The phrase "Came of age" means? Attained adulthood

4. How many kinds did Sadoro make friends with? Two kinds – the old friends and the new friends

5. What is meaning of phrase "Pay a deaf ear"? Not to pay attention to what somebody says

6. What is meaning of words "Hang out"? Like to often go out for nothing serious or productive

7. Choose the correct meaning of the word "Disillusioned" from the following multiple choice? Disappointed

8. Meaning of the word "Siblings" means? Brothers or sisters

9. Two sets of words "A genuine precious stone" and "A flawed one" are used as? Opposite to each other in meaning

10. The words "A genuine precious stone" referring to Sadoro's personality are used as? A metaphor

Explanation

Passage for Reading & Comprehension: Sadori was once an unfortunate child. Her father died in a road accident when she lived on milk from her mother’s breasts. She suffered another terrible blow when her mother died in childhood with an unborn baby in her womb. SADORI WAS ORPHANED when she was five years old. She had two brothers and two sisters. She was the youngest of them all. All being orphans and poor, they couldn’t look after her properly. All villagers felt for them all. Sadori grew up in hard times. Her elder brother was the only bread earner. He would earn only as much as they all could live on. They could hardly have A SQUARE MEAL. Their maternal uncles and paternal uncles were also poor; they were HAND TO MOUTH. After she grew young, Sadori lived a simple life as ever but entertained great ideas and high hopes. She came to know about the importance of education. Therefore, she wanted to get education to be a useful member of society. Fortune smiled on her.

There lived a rich man in the village where Sadori was born and brought up. He came to know of her keen interest for education and poverty. He was a philanthropist as well. He supported Sadori financially, morally, and took personal interest in getting her higher education in the English language and literature. She worked very hard. Now she works as a professor of English, gets a lucrative salary, and lives an enviable life. She helps THE POOR AND THE NEEDY and teaches girls and boys of her village free of tuition fee in her spare time. She feels highly obliged to her benefactor who helped her in distress and enabled her to be what she now is.

1. How many siblings did Sadori have? 4

2. Sadori was an unfortunate child because ______? Her parents died when she was a small child

3. "Sadori was orphaned". The above sentence from the passage is composed in ______? Passive voice

4. The phrase "Hand to mouth" means ______? To eat only as much as one gets at a meal time

5. "She helps the poor and needy". It appears from this sentence that Sadori is ______? Generous

6. Who does Sadori take as her benefactor? A rich man

7. Meaning of the phrase "A square meal" is ______? Good satisfying meal

8. The passage has been written in two tenses. The tenses are? Past Indefinite Tense and Present Indefinite Tense

9. The service Sadori now renders in her spare time is ______? Community welfare service

10. What part of speech are "The poor and the needy"? Nouns

Explanation

Passage for Reading & Comprehension: Work is worship. Work is rewarded. Great people of the world worked hard. Most of the living people, who are true to themselves, work hard to make their LIVING, provide for their families and help the poor and needy relatives. They follow the best principle of self-help. The same brilliant examples we find in the life of some of the greatest people who followed Islam. Hazrat Fatima (R.A) FETCHED water, GROUND corn, and swept the house. Caliph Omer bin Abdul Aziz (R.H) refused to hire a servant to help his wife. At table, Caliph Mamun-ur-Rashid (R.H) served not only himself but also his guests. Sultan Nasir-ud-Din earned his LIVING by making caps, and Emperor Aurangzeb by TRANSCRIBING the Holy Quran.

There are examples more than that of self-help in importance and worth. Hazrat Omer (R.A) once carried on his shoulders a large sack of flour for a needy family. Hazrat Ali (R.A) laboured in the garden of a Jew and GAVE AWAY his wages in charity.

1. Which of the following may be the most suitable topic or title of the above passage? Dignity of work and self-help

2. In what tenses has the above paragraph been written? Present Indefinite Tense, Past Indefinite Tense

3. Meaning of the word "Fetched" is? Went to where something was and brought it back

Fetched means بازیافت

Went to where something was and brought it back means جہاں کچھ تھا وہاں گیا اور اسے واپس لایا

4. It appears from the passage that Hazrat Ali (R.A) was? Generous

5. The word "Ground” is? A verb

6. Khalifa Omer bin Abdul Aziz (R.H) refused to hire a servant to help his wife because? Caliph Omer (R.H) wanted his wife to do her work by herself

7. The word "Living" means? Money to buy the things that you need in life

Living means زندہ رہنا

Money to buy the things that you need in life means زندگی میں آپ کی ضرورت والی چیزوں کو خریدنے کے لئے رقم

8. The word "Transcribing" means? Recording something in written form from the original

Transcribing means نقل

Recording something in written form from the original means اصل سے تحریری شکل میں کچھ ریکارڈ کرنا

9. The phrase "Gave away wages" means? Gave regular amount of earned money as a gift or good deed

Gave away wages means اجرت دی

Gave regular amount of earned money as a gift or good deed means بطور تحفہ یا نیک عمل کے طور پر کمائی جانے والی رقم کی باقاعدہ رقم دی

10. People of how many religions are mentioned in the passage? Two