Question
In the question below, a situation is given, followed
by statements that may or may not be possible reasons for the situation. Select the option that best describes the reason for the situation in the question. Situation: For the third consecutive year, several major cities in southern India have faced severe water shortages during the summer months. Urban planners note that despite adequate annual rainfall, most cities are unable to store enough water. Environmental groups argue that the problem has worsened because natural lakes and ponds have been encroached upon and urban drainage channels have been blocked by construction debris. Had the traditional water bodies been preserved, the severity of water shortages would have been considerably lower. Possible Reasons: I. Rapid urbanisation has led to large-scale construction over natural water bodies, reducing the region’s capacity to store rainwater. II. A significant fall in average annual rainfall in southern India over the past decade has caused widespread water scarcity. III. Poor urban planning and clogged drainage systems prevent rainwater from reaching reservoirs and groundwater tables.Solution
The situation states that water shortages persist despite adequate rainfall, mainly because cities cannot store water due to encroached lakes and blocked drainage channels. I is a valid reason: Construction over lakes and ponds reduces storage capacity. III is also a valid reason: Blocked drainage prevents rainwater from entering reservoirs or recharging groundwater. II is NOT valid: The passage explicitly says rainfall is adequate, so a fall in rainfall cannot be the reason.
In the following question select the answer pair that expresses a relationship most similar to that expressed in the capitalised pair.
Loss of appetite
 Fill in the blanks with the appropriate antonym of the word in Italic from the options given:
His optimistic outlook was replaced by _______ ...
- Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the given word.
Eager Internecine
The poor man’s son is working very hardly.
The Girls said, “Hurrah! we have won the battle”.
The original chapel was built in the ________ of CharlesÂ
14. Malevolent
...EmbitteredÂ
