Reading Comprehension is one of the most important parts of the English Language section in almost all competitive and bank exams like- SBI PO, SBI Clerk, IBPS PO, IBPS SO, SSC, RBI Grade B, RBI Assistant, SEBI Grade A and many others.
Reading Comprehension basically tests our ability to read and understand what we are reading. Being able to comprehend what we read, we can extract the meaning from the text and better understand what the author is trying to convey.
The purpose of Reading Comprehension is to test candidates’ knowledge with respect to-
Both these components are essential and play a significant role in understanding the passage.
The current trend of Reading Comprehension questions that come in the exam are inference based. This means that the questions are not direct but the candidates have to infer them from the given passage based on their understanding of the passage.
Therefore, in order to solve Reading Comprehension questions accurately, you need to follow the correct approach in the exam.
Given below are some pointers that you must keep in mind-
However, you will be the better judge of which approach best works for you. Therefore, practice several reading comprehensions following both the approaches and see which method works for you.
Given below are some of the examples of Transition words-
| Continuity Words | Intransitive Verb | Conclusion Words |
|---|---|---|
| Moreover | However | Thus |
| Additionally | But | Therefore |
| Likewise | Nonetheless | Hence |
| Furthermore | Although | To sum up |
Read the given passage below and answer the following questions.
Enough countries ratified the deal on global warming reached in Paris in December 2015—aiming to keep the increase on pre-industrial temperatures to “well below” 2°C —for it formally to come into effect in November 2016. The world’s governments are starting to act on their pollution-cutting pledges. But two big questions loom large in 2017.
One is the fate of the Paris Agreement under Donald Trump. The president-elect has claimed that global warming is a hoax intended to frustrate American businesses. He will seek to thwart the Clean Power Plan, which sets national standards to limit carbon-dioxide emissions from power plants, and withdraw from the Paris deal itself. However, none of his options are easy. Now that the agreement has entered into force, the country is bound to it for four years. A Trump administration could stymie related environmental efforts, but that would alienate China, among others. The plummeting price of solar and wind power may anyway test Mr Trump’s love of coal. And powerful states, such as California, will lead green endeavours where federal ones fall short.
The second question is whether businesses get serious about curbing their emissions. To stand a chance of limiting the world to warming of less than 2°C, net zero emissions must be reached around the middle of the century. Yet, when totted up, national pledges to curb pollution under the Paris deal will only keep warming to around 3°C. Firms must help bridge the gap.
In many cases they can make money from going greener. Over the decade to 2015 Walmart, the world’s biggest retailer, saved as much as $1 billion annually by changing the routes of its American vehicle fleet, which doubled its efficiency. And their reputations are at risk. In recent years Lego, a maker of toy bricks, has been lambasted for its relationship with the oil industry, and snack giants such as Nestlé have come under attack for the deforestation caused by palm-oil plantations.
But how serious will businesses’ efforts be? In Mr Trump’s America, the pressure may be off. And in the wider corporate world “sustainability” has too often been jargon for activities designed to fob off environmentalists.
Confusion over measurement has not helped: firms lack an agreed means of reporting their impact on the planet. Many ways exist to quantify water use, chemical use and emissions from buildings, products and supply chains. Comparing companies using differing standards is tricky enough. Doing so when firms hide key information can be a joke. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index deemed Volkswagen the world’s most sustainable carmaker in 2015; weeks later, news broke that 11m of the firm’s diesel vehicles had been fitted with software to cheat emissions tests.
In 2017 there should at least be fewer excuses. A task force on carbon disclosure will deliver recommendations to the G20 and the Financial Stability Board, a global regulators’ forum. The plan is to create a voluntary framework that will allow companies to report their exposure to climate risks consistently. Once they do so the market can go green more efficiently, armed with more information.
A new carbon-disclosure framework for firms could, therefore, spur progress on national pledges to curb emissions. Other trends could help cut waste. Talk of the “circular economy”, predicated on recycling and reusing products, is in vogue. Leasing models, for everything from cars to light bulbs, can save resources.
The Paris Agreement includes mechanisms to crank up national pledges. Fresh talks will be held in 2018 to take stock of progress; countries will then decide on new goals for themselves in 2020. Even if America has fallen back by then, dreadful air pollution in India and China means their governments cannot ignore emissions. Tree-hugging Europeans will demand further action. So, despite the temptation, in America at least, to shelter behind the new climate-change denier-in-chief in the White House, the best long-term strategy firms can pursue is one that lowers their own impact on the planet.
Q1) Who has been criticised for the relationship with the oil industry according to the passage?
Answer: (D)
Q2) Which of the following is not true according to the passage?
i. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index deemed Volkswagen the world’s most sustainable carmaker in 2015; weeks later, news broke that 11m of the firm’s diesel vehicles had not been fitted with software to cheat emissions tests.
ii. To stand a chance of limiting the world to warming of less than 2°C, net zero emissions must be reached around the middle of the century.
iii. When totted up, national pledges to curb pollution under the Paris deal will only keep warming to around 3°C.
Answer: (A)
Q3) How can the market go green more efficiently according to the passage?
Answer: (B)
Q4) When will countries decide their new goals according to the passage?
Answer: (E)
Q5) Which of the following is true according to the passage?
Answer: (D)
Q6) Choose the word which is MOST SIMILAR in meaning of the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
Lambasted
Answer: (A)
Q7) Choose the word which is MOST SIMILAR in meaning of the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
Hoax.
Answer: (D)
Q8) Choose the word which is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning of the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
Answer: (C )
Reading Comprehension has become an indispensable part of government and competitive exams. Therefore, it is imperative that you do not take this topic lightly. Practice as many reading comprehensions as possible to improve your speed. Furthermore, it will also help you in understanding the types of reading comprehension passages that can be asked in the exam. You can expect around 8 to 10 questions on this topic.
