English Quiz for SBI PO Prelims 2016 – Set 6

Read the followings carefully and answer

Directions (Q. 1-10):
Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain
words/phrases are given in bold to help
you locate them while answering some of the questions.

The nondescript town of Kotkasim in the Alwar district of Rajasthan had
its Peepli Live moment after it was chosen for a pilot experiment with “direct
cash transfers” of kerosene subsidies. According to the district
administration, the scheme led to net savings of 79 per cent in kerosene
subsidies after it was launched in December 2011, by weeding out “fake users.” The administration further claims that if
this were replicated in Rajasthan as a whole, it would lead to annual savings
of about Rs. 920 crore for the State government. However, are these savings
really driven by a reduction in the illegal diversion of subsidised kerosene? A
quick investigation, based on discussions with residents and Fair Price Shop
(FPS) dealers in three gram panchayats of Kotkasim, reveals a different story.

The direct cash transfer of
kerosene subsidies works as follows. Instead of getting kerosene from the local
FPS at a subsidised price of Rs. 15 a litre, as they used to do, households now
pay the full market price (initially Rs. 45 a litre, later raised to Rs. 50).
The subsidy, that is, the difference between the market price and the subsidised
rate or Rs. 15 a litre, is deposited into their bank accounts. The subsidy
payments are supposed to be made every three months, with the first three-month
instalment paid in advance when the scheme is launched. Clearly, this scheme
requires careful recording of kerosene purchases and close coordination among
the FPS, the administration and the banks. When people buy kerosene, the FPS
dealer notes down their account number in his sales register along the purchase
details. This information is sent to the District Supply Officer (DSO). The
relevant subsidies are then paid into bank accounts based on this information,
every three months.

The main purpose of the scheme is
to reduce leakages: if FPS dealers get the same price from their legitimate customers as from the black
market, there is no incentive to
cheat. That, at any rate, is how things are supposed to work. Most of the
consumers we talked to said they used kerosene for lighting lamps, and
sometimes in cooking stoves. Further probing revealed that some people used to
mix kerosene with diesel to run tubewell pumpsets as well, though this was from
their own quota of three litres per month. Before the scheme was launched,
households often bought extra kerosene by borrowing ration cards from others who
did not purchase their full quota. These “proxy purchases” have more or less
ceased under the new scheme, because the subsidy is credited directly to the
cardholder.

1. Which of the following is/are the characteristic
feature(s) of the ‘direct cash transfer of kerosene subsidies’? Give your
answer in the context of the passage.

1) A household has to pay Rs. 15 less on the purchase of
kerosene.

2) A household has to pay full market price.

3) The subsidy is paid through bank every month.

4) By way of subsidy every household gets a benefit of Rs. 15
every month.

5) All the above

2. Which of the following is/are true on the basis of the
passage?

1) The direct cash transfer scheme helps in eliminating fake
users.

2) The scheme was launched in the last month of the year
2011.

3) Had this scheme been launched in whole Rajasthan it would
have saved about 920 crores for the state government.

4) The scheme led to net savings of 79% on kerosene
subsidies.

5) All the above

3. Which of the following is correct about the ‘Peepli Live
moment’ as used in the passage?

1) It means the moment when the shooting of the film Peepli
Live was going on in Rajasthan.

2) It means a very unpleasant moment.

3) It was the moment after Kotkasim was chosen for a pilot
experiment with direct cash transfer of  kerosene subsidies.

4) Rajasthan is a very beautiful place full of scenic
beauties and every moment over there is Peepli Live moment.

5) None of these

4. Which of the following is the purpose of launching the
direct cash transfer scheme of kerosene subsidies?

1) To provide economic assistance to poor families

2) To check leakages of govt assistance amount

3) To support FPS dealers

4) To help the district supply officer

5) None of these

5. Find the correct statement(s) in the context of the
passage.

1) The consumers sometimes used to mix kerosene with diesel
to run tubewell pumpsets.

2) The customers never took advantage of proxy purchases
before the launch of the new scheme.

3) The subsidy is given to the consumers indirectly.

4) During festival seasons and at the time of marriage in a
family, consumers are allowed extra litres of kerosene.

5) All the above

Directions (Q. 6-8):
Choose the word/group of words which is MOST SIMILAR in meaning of the word/group of words printed in bold as used
in the passage.

6. Nondescript

1) interesting 2) attractive 3) dull 4) famous 5) well known

7. Weeding out

1) eliminate 2) incorporate 3) consider 4) mixing 5) cull

8. Incentive

1) stimulus 2) need 3) motivation 4) obstacle 5) benefit

Directions (Q. 9-10):
Choose the word/group of words which is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning of the word/group of words printed in bold as used
in the passage.

9. Reveal

1) open 2) allow 3) conceal 4) discuss 5) convey

10. Legitimate

1) unlawful 2) offensive 3) discreet 4) candid 5)
praiseworthy