Reading Comprehension — Set 4
Questions 31–40 of 105
Renewable energy sources—such as sunlight, wind, and flowing water—offer a crucial advantage over conventional fuels: they are sustainable and do not deplete the earth's finite natural resources. Unlike coal, oil, and natural gas, which took millions of years to form and diminish with every tonne burned, renewable sources are continuously replenished by natural processes. This characteristic makes them an attractive long-term foundation for global energy supply. Expanding the share of renewables in the energy mix is widely regarded as essential for reducing dependence on imported fuels and curbing environmental damage. What is the primary advantage of renewable energy sources according to the passage?
Correct Answer: C. They are sustainable and don't deplete natural resources
The passage highlights that renewable energy sources are sustainable and do not deplete natural resources. Unlike fossil fuels, they can be continuously replenished by natural processes. Mastering this concept helps in solving grammar-based questions in competitive.
Among the many sources of clean power available today, solar energy harnesses radiation from the sun, wind energy captures the kinetic force of moving air, and hydroelectric energy exploits the potential energy stored in water held at elevation. Each of these technologies can generate electricity without burning any fuel, making them fundamentally different from conventional power generation. They can be deployed across diverse geographies—deserts, coastlines, and mountain rivers—enabling countries to draw on their own natural endowments. Fossil fuels such as coal, by contrast, produce greenhouse gases when combusted and are not considered renewable energy sources. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a renewable energy source in the passage?
Correct Answer: C. Coal energy
The passage discusses solar, wind, and hydroelectric energy as renewable sources. Coal is a fossil fuel and is not renewable, so it is not mentioned among the renewable energy options. Mastering this concept helps in solving grammar-based questions in competitive.
Scientists and energy economists have modeled a range of scenarios for decarbonizing the global energy system. The most ambitious analyses indicate that renewable energy sources—solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and others combined—could potentially meet 90 percent or more of the world's total energy requirements by the middle of this century. Reaching such a share would demand massive investment in generation capacity, long-distance transmission grids, and energy storage technologies. Nevertheless, the rapid decline in the cost of solar panels and wind turbines makes this high share increasingly plausible. According to the passage, what percentage of energy globally could potentially come from renewables?
Correct Answer: D. 90%+
The passage suggests that renewable energy sources could potentially provide 90% or more of global energy needs. This requires significant investment in technology and infrastructure development. Mastering this concept helps in solving grammar-based questions in competitive.
Solar energy technology converts the sun's radiation directly into electrical power through the use of photovoltaic cells, which are typically made from semiconductor materials such as silicon. When photons from sunlight strike the surface of a photovoltaic cell, they dislodge electrons from the material, generating a flow of electric current. Panels composed of many such cells can be installed on rooftops, mounted in large ground-level arrays, or integrated into building materials. Because no fuel is consumed and no moving parts are required, photovoltaic systems have low operating costs and can function for decades with minimal maintenance. According to the passage, how does solar energy generation work?
Correct Answer: B. By converting sunlight into electricity using photovoltaic cells
The passage explains that solar energy is generated by converting sunlight into electricity using photovoltaic cells. These cells capture photons from sunlight and convert them directly into usable electrical energy. Mastering this concept helps in solving grammar-based questions in competitive.
The Industrial Revolution was one of the most consequential transformations in human history, unfolding primarily during the 18th to 19th centuries. It originated in Britain and, over several decades, diffused across continental Europe and North America. The shift from hand production to machine-based manufacturing fundamentally altered economies, societies, and landscapes. Agrarian communities that had relied on farming for generations were progressively replaced by industrial ones centered on factories, mines, and railways. When did the Industrial Revolution primarily occur according to the passage?
Correct Answer: C. 18th to 19th centuries
The passage places the Industrial Revolution from the 18th to 19th centuries. It began in Britain and gradually spread to other parts of Europe and North America, transforming societies from agrarian to industrial. Mastering this concept helps in solving grammar-based questions in competitive.
Several factors converged to make Britain the cradle of the Industrial Revolution. The country's extensive coal deposits and iron ore provided the raw materials essential for steam engines and machinery. Income from colonial trade supplied the capital needed to finance factories and infrastructure. An existing culture of practical invention, combined with a legal system that protected property rights and patent claims, encouraged entrepreneurs to develop and apply new technologies. As a result, the industrialization process began in Britain and only later spread to other nations. Which country is identified as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in the passage?
Correct Answer: C. Britain
The passage identifies Britain as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Factors such as colonial resources, available capital, and technological innovation made Britain ideal for industrialization. Mastering this concept helps in solving grammar-based questions in competitive.
Among the many industries transformed during the Industrial Revolution, textile production was one of the first to undergo wholesale mechanization. A sequence of inventions—including the spinning jenny, the water frame, and ultimately the steam-powered loom—replaced the slow and laborious hand-spinning and hand-weaving that had characterized cloth making for centuries. Factory owners could now produce fabric at a fraction of the previous cost and in far greater quantities. The mechanization of textiles became a model that other industries subsequently followed. What was one of the first major industries to be mechanized according to the passage?
Correct Answer: C. Textiles
The correct answer is 'Textiles'. The passage highlights textile production as one of the first industries to be mechanized. Inventions like the spinning jenny and power loom revolutionized fabric production and increased output dramatically.
The Industrial Revolution triggered a dramatic redistribution of population across Britain and, eventually, across Europe and North America. As factory work concentrated in specific towns and cities, millions of people left the countryside in search of wages, leading to the rapid growth of cities and industrial centers. Places that had been modest market towns swelled into sprawling urban agglomerations within a single generation. This urbanization brought both opportunity and hardship, straining housing, sanitation, and governance in ways that reformers struggled to address. How did the Industrial Revolution affect urbanization according to the passage?
Correct Answer: C. It led to rapid growth of cities and industrial centers
The passage describes how the Industrial Revolution led to rapid urbanization as people migrated from rural areas to cities seeking employment in factories. This created new industrial centers and transformed the landscape. Mastering this concept helps in solving grammar-based questions in competitive.
While the Industrial Revolution created new wealth and expanded the range of goods available to consumers, its immediate social consequences for working people were often severe. Factory workers—including children as young as six or seven—labored for twelve to sixteen hours a day in cramped, poorly ventilated buildings, performing repetitive tasks at dangerous machinery. Wages were kept low by the constant availability of fresh migrants from rural areas, and workers had little legal recourse against dismissal or injury. These harsh conditions eventually galvanized trade union movements and prompted governments to introduce factory legislation limiting working hours and child labor. What was a significant social consequence of the Industrial Revolution mentioned in the passage?
Correct Answer: C. Poor working conditions and low wages for factory workers
The passage notes that the Industrial Revolution resulted in poor working conditions, long hours, and low wages for factory workers, including children. These conditions eventually led to labor movements and workplace reforms. Mastering this concept helps in solving grammar-based questions in competitive.
At the center of modern biology is a molecule called deoxyribonucleic acid, commonly known by its abbreviation DNA. This molecule resides in the nucleus of virtually every living cell and encodes the chemical instructions that govern the development, functioning, and reproduction of all known organisms. DNA is composed of smaller units called nucleotides, each consisting of a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar called deoxyribose, and one of four nitrogen-containing bases. The precise sequence of these bases along the DNA strand constitutes the genetic code of an organism. What does DNA stand for according to the passage?
Correct Answer: A. Deoxyribonucleic acid
The passage identifies DNA as deoxyribonucleic acid. This molecule contains the genetic instructions for all living organisms and is composed of nucleotides with a sugar-phosphate backbone. Mastering this concept helps in solving grammar-based questions in competitive.