10th Class English Comprehension Comprehension Based on Current Affairs

         Comprehension Based on Current Affairs    

            Passage - 1

With the anticipated end of the country's isolation from global commerce in the nuclear field, India-Russia nuclear partnership will enter a new phase, National Security Adviser (NSA) M.K. Narayanan told his Russian interlocutors in Moscow. Mr. Narayanan is discussing security, defense and regional security issues with Russian officials. He said the reopening of nuclear collaboration would not only mean expanding the relationship in constructing the nuclear plant at Koodankulam in Tamil Nadu but also collaboration in new projects, according to Andrei Orlov, chief of PIR Centre (Centre for Policy Studies), a quasi- government think-tank backed by influential persons in the decision-making process. In addition, India indicated that cooperation would be extended to other strategic fields such as space. The NSA also indicated that the clouds over the India-U.S. deal had almost lifted despite misgivings in some Indian political circles. Outlining the Russian position, Dr. Orlov described the deal as a 'rare bird' in the U.S.-Russian relations as both the countries seemed to be supporting India in its bid to break out of nuclear seclusion. The agreement is following the mainstream of world security rules and would preserve stability and peace in the world. India plays a unique role in the world order and that's why Russia feels it should not be compared with Pakistan and Israel, the two countries along with India, which have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.  

Read the passage carefully and tick the correct answers:  

  The India-Russia nuclear joint venture will usher_______.

(a) A new era in nuclear collaboration    

(b) Collaboration in new projects

(c) Expanding the long-term relationship             

(d) Constructing a nuclear plant

(e) None of these

Answer: (b)

Explanation: (b)

The sentence 'He said the reopening of nuclear collaboration would not only mean expanding the relationship.....' in the paragraph hints the answer to the question.  

  Development of partnership will also extend in the field of________.

(a) Science                                                         

(b) Space                            

(c) Security                                                        

(d) De fence

(e) None of these

Answer: (b)

Explanation: (b)

The answer to the question can be retrieved from the sentence 'in addition, India indicated that cooperation would be extended to other strategic fields such as space' in the passage.  

  The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has not been signed by_________.

(a) Russia                                                            

(b) The United States    

(c) Israel                                                              

(d) China

(e) None of these

Answer: (c)

Explanation: (c)

The line 'lndia plays a unique role in the world order and that's why Russia feels it should ....' 'in the passage hints the answer to the question.  

  From the passage, it appears that India has got________.

(a) A matchless position in the world order in preserving peace and stability

(b) A unique role to play in solving various nuclear issues

(c) A benchmark and should not be compared with Pakistan and Israel

(d) As strategy to prove its mettle in the field of security, de fence and regional security

(e) None of these

Answer: (a)

Explanation: (a)

The answer to the question can be had from the two sentences 'The agreement is following the mainstream of world security rules .....' and 'lndia plays a unique role in the world order and ....' provided in the last paragraph.    

            Passage - 2

Scientists at Karolinska Institute in Sweden discovered that a gene linked to dyslexia has a surprising biological function namely it controls cilia, the antenna-like projections that cells use to communicate. The study led by Professor Eero Castrén of Helsinki University presented the scientists with a possible new neurobiological mechanism for dyslexia. The new findings presented in the scientific journal showed that DCDC2 governs the length of the cilia and activates two different signal systems in the cell, depending on the degree of gene activity. When the human variant the gene was transferred to nerve cells in the roundworm C elegant, it gave rise to unusual neural projections exclusively in ciliated cells. Dyslexia is largely hereditary and linked to a number of genes whose functions of which hare, however, are largely un known. This present study from Karolinska Institute and Helsinki University revealed that one of these genes linked to dyslexia, DCDC2, is involved in regulating the signaling of cilia in brain neurons. Cilia are hair-like structures that project from the surface of most cells. Recent research revealed that the cells use cilia to communicate and that they play a crucial part in the development of the body's organs.  

Read the passage carefully and tick the correct answers:  

  The gene associated to dyslexia has_________.

(a) A wonderful function in context to biology   

(b) A surprising function which is truly biological

(c) A successive developmental phenomenon  

(d) Increasing rate of biological sophistication

(e) None of these

Answer: (b)

Explanation: (b)

The first line of the paragraph hints answer to the question.  

  The scientists are highly hopeful to find a_______.

(a) New neurobiological mechanism for dyslexia

(b) Human variant of gene transferred from nerve cells

(c) Link which is largely hereditary

(d) Signal system in cells

(e) None of these

Answer: (a)

Explanation: (a)

The sentence 'The study led by Professor Eero Castrén of Helsinki University presented the scientists with a possible new neurobiological mechanism for dyslexia' gives answer to the question.  

  Dyslexia is a disease relating to________.

(a) Malfunctioning of cells in our body   

(b) Irregular activity of brain brain neurons

(c) Neurobiological disfunctioning           

(d) Disability in learning

(e) None of these

Answer: (d)

Explanation: (d)

Dyslexia is a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read and spell, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, and/or rapid naming. The correct option will be (d).  

  According to a recent research, the importance of cilia is________.

(a) That cells use them to communicate               

(b) They are vital in development of body's cells

(c) They help to regulate brain neurons                

(d) They are linked to dyslexia

(e) None of these

Answer: (a)

Explanation: (a)

The line 'Recent research revealed that the cells use cilia to communicate and that they play ...' provides correct answer to the question.