Direction (1-5): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below the passage.

We hope some Indian agency is doing the kind of monitoring and tracking of those who matter in nations of strategic relevance that a Chinese company that claims links to Beijing is reported to have been doing, in relation to 10,000 Indian individuals and organisations. From what has been reported, the monitoring would appear to be based on publicly available data. That would not appear to violate any law, not that India has put in place any data privacy law. Shock and awe are scarcely the right response to such a revelation.

The modern digital economy has the effect of making its participants close relatives of goldfish in a bowl. If one lists out the kinds of data that just either Google or Facebook has on users of these companies’ products, the swimming inside the bowl is likely to turn a bit more frenetic.

All sorts of communication, mail, chat and videoconferences, location mapping, calendar, social engagements, travel dates and modes, health reports, bank statements, the music you listen to, the videos you watch, even your fitness tracking are available to the company and those of its employees with access to the data.Your phone company knows your call and messaging data, and a log of the websites you have visited.A data protection law would prevent such companies from using this data in any form that would harm the data subject, assuming laws are enforced with some degree of rigour.

But if someone compiles the data that is available in the public domain — posts on social media, or speeches, news reports and public engagements of those in public life — and subjects it to sophisticated analysis, patterns and interconnections are likely to emerge that could yield actionable insights.

It would be shocking if the major intelligence agenciesdo not use the analytics available as of date to make sense of possible threats to national security.A number of western companies offer predictive analytics of geopolitical risk. The report of Chinese surveillance should prompt some Indian startups to venture into this domain.

1) Which of the following statements is/are true according to the passage?

a)The modern digital economy has the effect of making its participants close relatives of goldfish in a bowl

b)A data protection law would prevent such companies from using this data in any form that would not harm the data subject

c)Your phone company does not know your call and messaging data, and a log of the websites you have visited.

d) All of these

e) None of these

2) According to the passage, It would be shocking if the major intelligence agencies___________________?

a) use the analytics available as of date to make sense of possible threats to national security

b)do not use the analytics available as of date to make sense of possible threats to national security

c)do not use the analytics available as of date not to sense of possible threats to national security

d)do not use the analytics available as of date to make sense of possible upgradations to national security

e) None of these

3) Which of the following statements is/are not true according to the passage?

a)A number of western companies offer predictive analytics of geopolitical risk.

b)The report of Chinese surveillance should prompt some Indian startups to venture into this domain.

c)The report of Chinese surveillance should not prompt some Indian startups to venture into this domain.

d) None of these

e) Both a and b

4) Which of the following is/are the synonym of the word “goldfish bowl” given in bold in the passage?

a) a crowded place

b)a place or situation that has privacy.

c)a place or situation lacking privacy.

d) public place

e) None of these

5) Which of the following is/are the antonym of the word “compiles” given in bold in the passage?

a) collate

b) assemble

c) gather

d) disperse

e) None of these

Answers :

1) Answer: A

From the lines of the passage “The modern digital economy has the effect of making its participants close relatives of goldfish in a bowl……Your phone company knows your call and messaging data, and a log of the websites you have visited…….A data protection law would prevent such companies from using this data in any form that would harm the data subject”, we can understand that (a) is the correct answer.

2) Answer: B

From the sentence of the passage “It would be shocking if the major intelligence agencies do not use the analytics available as of date to make sense of possible threats to national security.”, we can understand that (b) is the correct answer.

3) Answer: E

From the lines of the passage “A number of western companies offer predictive analytics of geopolitical risk. The report of Chinese surveillance should prompt some Indian startups to venture into this domain.”, we can understand that (e) is the correct answer.

4) Answer: C

Goldfish bowl- a place or situation lacking privacy.

Hence, (c)is the correct answer.

5) Answer: D

Compile- Gather, collate, assemble.

Disperse- spread, distribute.

Hence, (d) is the correct answer.