ANSWER KEYS OF TIMES SPARK MOCK TEST
Passage 1- Date: September 27, 2017
Answers of the questions below in Bold
1. In the context of this article, which of the industries does Mount Agung threaten the most in case it erupts?
A. Fishing
B. Business
C. Tourism
D. Agriculture
2. The phrase “the mountain could blow” means –
A. Harmful smoke could blow from the mountain after it erupted.
B. The mountain could erupt.
C. A strong blow of winds could be created on the mountain because of the heat.
D. The mountain could explode.
3. According to President Joko Widodo, what makes a volcanic eruption most difficult to handle is the fact that:
A. There is no saying if and when it will explode.
B. The debris it throws up is hugely harmful.
C. Evacuation costs are always tremendous.
D. Rehabilitation of those displaced is a big challenge.
4. Which of the following does the article not mention as playing a role in organising aid in Bali?
A. Balinese residents
B. International NGOs
C. The central government
D. Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation.
5. Identify the incorrect statement:
A. Evacuees stay in villages outside the danger zone.
B. Evacuees stay outside the villages outside the danger zone.
C. The tradition of communal assistance implies that evacuees do not have to go to the larger cities for relief.
D. Residents around the island have been collecting donations.
6. Identify the correct statement: According to the head of logistics at a village, __________ were amongst the most needed items:
A. Face masks and mattresses.
B. Food items like rice, cooking oil and instant noodles.
C. Items like tents and blankets.
D. Food items like fish, bread and vegetables.
7. As per the article, Subandi’s concern regarding a limited rice supply have been:
A. Addressed
B. Aggravated
C. Questioned
D. Dismissed
8. The phrase “flanks of the volcano” mean the:
A. Bottom of the volcano
B. Vicinity of the volcano
C. Radius of the volcano
D. Sides of the volcano
Passage 2-Date: October 14, 2017
1. In paragraph 4, one of the main lessons that Mr.Satyarthi believes the children were taught was of :
A. Self-Ownership
B. Defiance
C. Legal rights
D. Legislative empowerment
2. Which of the following words is incorrect in describing the “world’s largest child safeguarding lesson” as a means of fighting child abuse:
B. Ludicrous
C. Unconventional
D. Imaginative
E. Unique
3. In light of the fact that Mr.Satyarthi’s participants were drawn from across 23 states, the initiative may be described as being::
A. Pan-Asian
B. Global
C. Regional
D. Pan-Indian
4. The tone of the second paragraph of the article may be best described as:
A. Detached
B. Personal
C. Subjective
D. Professional
5. The duration of Mr. Satyarthi’s Bhart Yatra is:
A. 21days
B. 27 days
C. 35 days
D. 50 days
6. The word “combat” in this piece means:
A. To battle
B. To attack
C. To defend
D. To defy
7. Identify the correct statement:
A. Mr. Satyarthi’s class was held in DAV Centenary Public School in Chandigarh
B. The module was simultaneously taught by DAV school teachers in 23 states
C. Mr. Staryarthi also addressed a gathering of media persons at Jaipur University
D. No religious sects or faiths are a part of the initiative.
8. According to Mr. Satyarthi age-old mind-sets have to be attacked because they:
A. Stigmatise and blame the victims
B. Strengthen the perpetrator
C. Neither A nor B
D. Both A and B
Passage 3-Date: October 13, 2017
1. The phrase “rain gods will be kind” (in general) bears the implication of:
A. It will rain
B. It will not rain
C. The weather will be good
D. It will rain but will then stop
2. Which of the following words cannot be used instead of “incessantly” as used in this article:
A. Intermittently
B. Relentlessly
C. Ceaselessly
D. Unremittingly
3. Identify the correct statement
A. Even on Thursday there was no respite from the rain
B. Despite their efforts Curator YL Chandrasekhar and his team could not do a good job in ensuring minimal damage.
C. The Indians had been ambushed by right-arm speedster Jason Behrendorff in the previous game.
D. Ashish Nehra had announced his retirement from the game after the T20I on November 1
4. Identify the incorrect statement in the context of this article:
A. The visitors did not do well in the preceding ODI series
B. Skipper Virat Kohli and his band would like to prove that the Guwahati show was just an aberration.
C. Hyderabad has been ‘holiday resort’ to skipper David Warner
D. Jason Behrendorff could use the top-order to his advantage to bring his side back into the series.
5. The word “aberration” in the article is closest in meaning to:
A. Pattern
B. Symbol
C. Exception
D. Example
6. By saying that the Australian side “may not be in the same class of previous ones but they still have quality players”, the writer of the piece is saying that:
A. Their players are still competent
B. Their players are no longer competent
C. Their players are doing the best they can
D. Their players are putting up the facade of quality
7. The article lists -------------as those who would like to give it back to the Australian bowlers:
A. Shikhar Dhawan, Ashish Nehra and Chandraskehar
B. Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma
C. Virat Kohli and Ashish Nehra
D. Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
8. As per the article David Warner may be described as:
A. Left-arm speedster
B. The aggressive opener
C. Just another Skipper
D. Crazy Australian bowler
Passage 4-Date: September 28, 2017
1. When he says that “attacking press freedom is like saying food is overrated, or that oxygen is a bit embarrassing”, the writer is implying that it is:
A. Antithetical
B. Exaggerated
C. Ridiculous
D. Understated
2. According to the writer the two main factors driving the new hatred for freedom of the press are:
A. Distortion of the idea of what journalists actually do and the manipulations of those in power
B. The influence of drug cartels and the wealth that journalists sometimes have
C. Unreliable reporting and revelation of the power nexus between journalists and those in power
D. The hard questions asked by journalists and their selectivity in following leads
3. According to journalist Tongam Rina, local journalists are move vulnerable because:
A. They are limited by language
B. They are closer to the story
C. They do not have access to money
D. They do not have the support of the more established media conglomerates
4. The “bitter irony” mentioned in paragraph 9 is based on what the writer recognises as the people’s ------------:
A. Realisation of the truth
B. Denial of reality
C. Harming of themselves
D. Escaping from the truth
5. According to the writer, the only two entities who would like people to mistrust the media are:
A. Dishonest international corporations and despots
B. International companies and drug cartels
C. Dictatorial governments and hardliners
D. Tyrants and power-seekers
6. In the context of this article, which of the following terms cannot be used to describe journalists:
A. Repositories of privilege
B. Symbols of indispensable counter-power
C. Foot soldiers of accountability
D. Lifeblood of any democracy
7. In the context of this article, the word “envisaging” (paragraph 8) is closest in implication to:
A. Predicting
B. Condemning
C. Analyising
D. Envisioning
8.The article ends on a note of:
A- Hope
B- Warning
C- Sadness
D- Realisation
Passage 5-Date: September 11, 2017
1. As per the interveiw, which of these is not a mentioned criteria of similarity between P.V.Sindhu and Saina Nehwal :
A. Physical strength
B. A fighting spirit
C. Maturity
D. Resiliance
2. Accoording to Pullela Gopichand one of the main reasons the future looks good for men’s badminton is that
A. All the players are young
B. There is represenation from across the coutry
C. All the players have experinece in competing internationally
D. There is strong camaraderie between the players
3. With regard to the focus areas of the 2020 Olympics which of the following does Gopichand not make refernce to
A. Time Management
B. Having good support staff
C. Athlete-centerdness
D. Strong discipline
4. The tone of this interveiw is
A. Personal
B. Detactched
C. Objective
D. Inspirationl
5. The word “flak” in the first sentence of the last paragraph means
A. Aggravation
B. Support
C. Criticism
D. Interrogation
6. The word “trajectory” in the fourth paragraph means –
A. Journey
B. A path or course
C. Travel
D. Way of doing things
7. Gopichand’s response to the third question in the interview may be best described as:
A. Encouraging
B. Evasive
C. Noncommittal
D. Diplomatic
8. Gopichand’s attitude towards the Sports Authority of India as exemplified here is
A. Contemptuous
B. Grudging
C. Appreciative
D. Dismissive
Passage 6-Date: October 7, 2017
1. ICAN was inspired by:
A. A campaign to stop nuclear proliferation
B. A campaign to discourage war tactics
C. A campaign to ban the use of landmines
D. A campaign to ban aerial bombing
2. The biggest nuclear bomb this year is claimed to have been tested by:
A. North Korea
B. Russia
C. USA
D. Pakistan
3. Identify the correct statement. As per this article, ICAN is supported by:
A. Ban Ki Moon, Yoko Ono and Aung San Syu ki
B. Michael Sheen, Yoko Ono and Desmund Tutu
C. Ai Wei Wei, Desmund Tutu and Aung San Syu Ki
D. Dalai Lama, Barak Obama and Ai WeiWei
4. Which of the following words best describes President Trump’s assertion that he would “totally destroy” North Korea in case of aggression?
A. Diffident
B. Equivocal
C. Assertive
D. Militant
5. Which of the following words cannot be used to communicate the implication of “posturing” as used in this article?
A. Bravado
B. Bluster
C. Histrionics
D. Improvisation
6. Identify the incorrect statement:
A. As of now Russia and the US are pursuing some disarmament
B. An astounding majority of nuclear weapons in the world are with US and Russia
C. Only some of the nine known nuclear powers in the world endorsed the ICAN based UN Treaty
D. The USA’s 6,800 nukes include intact retired warheads
7. Beatrice Fihn’s quote in the article strikes a note of:
A. Warning
B. Despair
C. Fear
D. Conciliation
8. Identify the incorrect conclusion – President Trump’s desire to be on “top of the pack” when it comes to the nuclear arsenal:
A. Is hostile to the idea of disarmament
B. Is in sync with the idea of disarmament
C. Rejects the idea of disarmament
D. Is antithetical to the idea of disarmament
Passage 7-Date: October 6, 2017
1. The focus of this article is:
A. The personal journey of Ishiguro
B. The literary trajectory of Ishiguro
C. The themes of novels written by Ishiguro
D. The interview-based responses of Ishiguro
2. Which of the following genres has Ishiguro not explored in his work:
A. Detective fiction
B. Fantasy
C. Autobiography
D. Science fiction
3. Which of the following statements is false?
A. When he was around 9 or 10 Ishiguro started reading Sherlock Holmes obsessively.
B. At this age he started to behave like Sherlock and Watson.
C. In later years he wrote a novel based on the characters of Sherlock and Watson.
D. He started talking like Sherlock and Watson in school.
4. Which of the following has Ishiguro not studied formerly:
A. History
B. English
C. Philosophy
D. Creative Writing
5. Which of the following statements is true:
A. Ishiguro’s novels are often written in the first person
B. Song writing is something that Ishiguro never took seriously
C. Axl and Beatrice are characters from his most popular novel
D. While writing The Remains of the Day he was careful not to contradict himself
6. In the context of The Remains of the Day as per this article, the word “buttoned-up” is closest in implication to:
A. Being ill-tempered
B. Being a hypochondriac
C. Being stern
D. Being taciturn
7. Which of Ishiguro’s novels is seen to have echoes of magic realism in it:
A. A Pale View of the Hills
B. The Unconsoled
C. An Artist of the Floating World
D. When we Were Orphans
8. Which of the following is false in the context of the many themes explored by Ishiguro in his works:
A. The fragile nature of individual
B. The porous nature of time
C. The fallibility of memory
D. The despotic nature of authoritarian regimes
Passage 8-Date: November 6, 2017
1. Nuclear tests have been on _______ since the end of the Cold War:
A. An increase
B. A decrease
C. A level of equivalence
D. An fluctuating curve
2. The fact that today the West is championing the banning of nuclear tests, although they have conducted the maximum number of nuclear tests, can be seen as :
A. An aberration
B. An inconsistency
C. An exception
D. An irony
3. Which of the following terms is not close in meaning to the word “tenterhooks” as used in this article:
A. To stay the course
B. To be on pins and needles
C. To lose sleep over
D. To be concerned about
4. By signing the Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan were guaranteed:
A. Perpetual sovereignty and political support
B. Territorial integrity and economic policies
C. Political support and military interventions
D. Perpetual sovereignty and territorial integrity
5. India is ___________ the CTBT
A. Ambivalent about
B. In favour of
C. Critical of
D. Indifferent to
6. Identify the incorrect statement:
A. Uranium is the main fuel of a nuclear reactor and is not freely traded
B. The developing world is appreciative of the role played by the NSG in controlling access to uranium
C. North Korea is the only country that has conducted nuclear tests in this millennium
D. India hasn't signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
7. Russia’s annexing of the Ukrainian territory of Crimea in 2014 was:
A. In violation of the Budapest Memorandum
B. In accordance with the Budapest Memorandum
C. A reinforcement of the Budapest Memorandum
D. In tacit support of the Budapest Memorandum
8. The main idea of this article is:
A. The importance of banning nuclear tests
B. Allowing the developing world access to energy sources for meeting energy demands
C. Kim Jong-un’s foolhardy behaviour regarding nuclear testing
D. The reality of the global nuclear imbalance
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