Read the following passage carefully and answer questions no. 11 to 15.

Some 2000 km down south of the Amazon, and about the same time when the tidal waves were at their highest as a consequence of the big clash of sea and fresh water at the Amazon delta most vigorously in March and April (2018), more than 40,000 people were talking about the power of water. Brasilia hosted the eighth edition of the World Water Forum (WWF – 8), where heads of states, civil societies and private sector gathered to discuss the present and future of mankind’s most valuable resource. This year’s theme was ‘Sharing Water’, and the government authorities expectedly put forth a political declaration, aimed at raising awareness about threats and opportunities associated with water resources. Deliberations here would play a decisive role in the periodic assessment of the sustainable development goals of Agenda 2030.

Brazil has established a solid institutional and legal framework for water management, based on the principle of multi-stakeholder participation. Brazil has also been conducting one of the boldest river inter-linking projects in which 500 km of canals will transfer abundant waters from the Sāo Francisco basin to small rivers and weirs in one of Brazil’s most arid areas, benefitting more than 12 million people in almost 400 municipalities.

India, too, has a large variety of water resources. An institutional framework consisting of regional river boards and river cleansing missions has been set up, while successive Central Governments have made efforts to address the dire needs of irrigation and mitigation of ground water depletion. As in the case of Brazil, a lot remains to be done in India.

Adequate treatment of industrial waste-water, the fight against contamination of riverbeds and assistance to drought affected areas are high priority topics for both New Delhi and Brasilia. Due to these commonalities, there is ample room for bilateral co-operation. Water is a local, regional and global common and as such, collaboration is key to address most of its associated threats.

Today, mankind is faced with two facts : water is too powerful a force to be fought over, and too valuable a resource to be lost. To harmonise these two conflicting aspects, sharing water is perhaps the only meaningful motto for the ages to come.

11. As per the text of the passage, the eighth edition of the World Water Forum was concerned with

(1) Present and future of mankind

(2) The issue of high tidal waves

(3) The power of water

(4) The role of civil society in solving water-related problems

Answer: 3

12. Deliberations on the theme ‘Sharing Water’ should facilitate

(1) Regular evaluation of sustainable development goals

(2) The role of private sector in preserving water resources

(3) The establishment of institutional framework

(4) Sensitisation of government authorities

Answer: 1

13. The institutional framework of Brazil for water management

(1) Promotes bilateral collaboration

(2) Provides for multi-stakeholder participation

(3) Consists of regional river boards

(4) Addresses legal dimensions of water sharing

Answer: 2

14. What would be of high priority to both New Delhi and Brasilia as regards river water?

(1) Proposing water as a global common

(2) Sharing water

(3) Development of large water resources

(4) Fight against contamination of riverbeds

Answer: 4

15. The main focus of the passage is on

(1) Resolution of water conflicts

(2) Encouraging bilateral co-operation

(3) Management of water as a valuable resource

(4) River inter-linking

Answer: 3

16. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Read the statements and choose the correct answer using the code given below.

Assertion (A): Meanings of messages used in the classroom are arbitrary in nature.

Reason (R): Meanings are learnt as a result of one’s prior experiences.

Code:

(1) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

(2) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

(3) (A) is true, but (R) is false.

(4) (A) is false, but (R) is true.

Answer: 1

17. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Read the statements and choose the correct answer using the code given below.

Assertion (A): Classroom communication has a cultural dimension.

Reason (R): Beliefs, habits, customs and languages are the cultural characteristics of communication.

Code:

(1) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

(2) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

(3) (A) is true, but (R) is false.

(4) (A) is false, but (R) is true.

Answer: 1

18. In a classroom, teachers and students use self-interest issues to judge

(1) Their acceptability

(2) Uncritical dispositions

(3) Negative re-inforcement of ideas

(4) External non-verbal cues

Answer: 1

19. Variables that affect the information processing in a classroom are

(i) Perception levels

(ii) Learned habits

(iii) Attitudes, beliefs and values

(iv) Selectivity factor

(v) Market expectation

(vi) Institutional intervention

Choose the correct answer from the code given below:

Code:

(1) (i), (ii), (v) and (vi)

(2) (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v)

(3) (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi)

(4) (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv)

Answer: 4

20. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Read the statements and choose the correct answer using the code given below.

Assertion (A): Selective exposure in the classroom is dependent upon students’ perceptions and knowledge about the source of information.

Reason (R): The effectiveness of the communication source determines the selective exposure of students to information.

Code:

(1) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

(2) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

(3) (A) is true, but (R) is false.

(4) (A) is false, but (R) is true.

Answer: 1