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

The speeches at the UN General Assembly, by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, and a day later by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were__________________. Mr. Modi focused on India’s own role onthe world stage and the need to reform the UN and expand the Security Council to give India more representation. Mr. Khan focused less time on Pakistan, launching a broadside against India. Mr. Modi made noreference to Pakistan, and spoke about terrorism onlyin broader terms. A reply to Mr. Khan’s speech was leftto an Indian diplomat, who described it as an “incessant rant” and “lies, misinformation and warmongering”. Mr. Khan’s references to India, which formedmore than a third of his text, repeated the vilification inhis previous speeches: accusing the Modi governmentof “state sponsorship of Islamophobia”, of following an“extremist ideology” of the RSS, which he claims is “inspired” by Nazi concepts of “racial purity and supremacy”, and of planning to “cleanse” the country of minorities. Extreme comparisons were made between theCitizenship (Amendment) Act and the Nuremberg laws,as well as between detention camps in Assam and theconcentration camps of Nazi Germany.

Next, helaunched into a diatribe on Jammu and Kashmir, moreor less mirroring his speech of last year, which includedaccusations that the government’s moves to dilute Article 370 and reorganise J&K State into Union Territorieswere akin to a “final solution” of “genocide” for theState, and contravenes UN laws. He concluded with areference to LoC tensions, where ceasefire violationshave risen, ending on an exaggerated note that referredto Kashmir as a “nuclear flashpoint”.

Mr. Khan’s speech can be easily countered, and dismissed, as the government has. Pakistan’s own recordon minorities, including its own laws that even preventminorities from holding high office, completely demolish Pakistan’s credentials to attack India, which is a constitutionally declared secular democracy. Mr. Khan’s accusations of Indian “state terrorism” come even as hiscountry faces a decisive moment at the Financial ActionTask Force in October, where Pakistan has been kept ona “grey list” since June 2018. His accusations on the reorganisation of J&K, and of attempting “demographicchanges” are equally strange, given Pakistan has itselfjust declared Gilgit Baltistan a province and has carriedout the resettlement of non­Kashmiris in Pakistan­occupied Kashmir for decades.

 Even if some of the concernsthat were raised by Mr. Khan are also being debated inside India, sans the overdramatic characterisations,they are certainly not within the purview of anothercountry, and not a legitimate subject for his address atthe UN. While India can safely disregard his barbs, itmust not underestimate their intent, as part of a largerstrategy to consistently hurl these allegations against India, in the hope that some of it will stick.

1) Fill the blank with information from the passage.

The speeches at the UN General Assembly, by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, and a day later by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were________________________.

a) a study in harmony

b) a study in similarities

c) a study in contrasts

d) Both a and b

d) None of these

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

a) Mr. Khan’s speech can be easily countered, and dismissed.

b) Pakistan’s own record on minorities, including its own laws that even prevent minorities from holding high office, completely demolish Pakistan’s credentials to attack India

c) Mr. Khan’s accusations of Indian “state terrorism” come even as his country faces a decisive moment at the Financial Action Task Force in October, where Pakistan has been kept on a “grey list” since June 2018

d) All of the above

e) None of the above

3) Extreme comparisons were made between the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the Nuremberg laws, as well as between________________________________?

a) detention camps in West Bengal and the concentration camps of Nazi Germany

b) detention camps in Assam and the concentration camps of Nazi Germany

c) detention camps in UP and the concentration camps of Nazi Germany

d) detention camps in Bihar and the concentration camps of Nazi Germany

e) None of these

4) Which of the following is the synonym of the word “vilification” given in bold in the passage?

a) praise

b) laud

c) condemnation

d) appreciation

e) None of these

5) Which of the following is the antonym of the word “demolish) given in bold in the passage”

a) destroy

b) construct

c) damage

d) raze

e) None of these

Answers :

1) Answer: C

In the first paragraph we have “Mr. Modi focused on India’s own role on the world stage and the need to reform the UN and expand the Security Council to give India more representation. Mr. Khan focused less time on Pakistan, launching a broadside against India. Mr. Modi made no reference to Pakistan, and spoke about terrorism only in broader terms. A reply to Mr. Khan’s speech was left to an Indian diplomat, who described it as an “incessant rant” and “lies, misinformation and warmongering”.”

From these lines we can understand that the speeches of Mr. Modi and Mr. Khan were totally opposite to each other.

Hence (c) is correct.

2) Answer: D

It is mentioned in the passage “Mr. Khan’s speech can be easily countered, and dismissed, as the government has. Pakistan’s own record on minorities, including its own laws that even prevent minorities from holding high office, completely demolish Pakistan’s credentials to attack India, which is a constitutionally declared secular democracy. Mr. Khan’s accusations of Indian “state terrorism” come even as his country faces a decisive moment at the Financial Action Task Force in October, where Pakistan has been kept on a “grey list” since June 2018.”

Hence all the statements are true.

3) Answer: B

It is mentioned in the passage “Extreme comparisons were made between the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the Nuremberg laws, as well as between detention camps in Assam and the concentration camps of Nazi Germany.”.

Hence (b) is correct.

4) Answer: C

Vilification- abusively disparaging speech or writing.

Hence, (c) is correct.

5) Answer: B

Demolish- destroy.

Hence (b) is correct.