COMPREHENSION TEST
1172. The dome of St. Peter’s Basilica                            speeches of all times and to be a landmark oration that
        (1) bears no relation to the one in the model.            captures the essence of the triumphant culmination of the
        (2) was destroyed after the model was built.              largely non-violent Indian independence struggle against
        (3) is raised more than the one in the model.             the British Empire in India.
        (4) follows the plan of the model.                               “Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and
                                                                  now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not
      Directions (1173–1177) : A passage is given with 5
                                                                  wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. Freedom
questions following it. Read the passage carefully and choose
                                                                  and power bring responsibility. The responsibility rests upon
the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.
                                                                  the assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign
                                          (SSC CGL Tier-I (CBE)
                                                                  people of India. The service of India means the service of
                                   Exam. 28.08.2016 (Ist sitting)
                                                                  the millions who suffer. It means the ending of poverty and
      He waited a moment in surprise, wondering why she
                                                                  ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity. We
did not come nearer, and then, maddened by hunger, he
                                                                  cannot encourage communalism or narrowmindedness, for
dived at the fish. With a loud scream he fell outwards and
                                                                  no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought
downwards into space. His mother had soared upwards.
                                                                  or in action.
As he passed beneath her, he heard the swish of her wings.
                                                                         To the people of India, whose representatives we are,
Then a monstrous terror seized him and his heart stood
                                                                  this is no time for petty and destructive criticism, no time
still. He could hear nothing. But it only lasted a moment.
                                                                  for ill will or blaming others. We have to build the noble
The next moment, he felt his wings spread outwards. The
                                                                  mansion of free India where all her children may dwell”.
wind rushed against his breast feathers, then under his
                                                                  1178. To whom did Nehru deliver this famous speech?
stomach and against his wings. He could feel the tips of his
wings cutting through the air. He was not falling headlong                (1) Nehru delivered this speech to a massive Indian
now. He was soaring gradually downwards and outwards.                         crowd in attendance.
                                                                          (2) Nehru delivered this speech to the members of
      He was no longer afraid. He just felt a bit dizzy. Then,
                                                                              the Constituent Assembly.
he flapped his wings once and he soared upwards. He
uttered a joyous scream and flapped them again. He soared                 (3) Nehru delivered this speech to the members of
higher. He raised his breast and banked against the wind.                     the Lok Sabha
His mother swooped past him, her wings making a loud                      (4) Nehru delivered this speech to the members of
noise. He answered her with another scream.                                   the Rajya Sabha.
1173. The young seagull dived at the fish                         1179. Choose the answer which captures Nehru’s belief.
                                                                          (1) Nehru believed that India could achieve perfection
        (1) maddened by anger (2) maddened by want
                                                                              immediately.
        (3) out of spite           (4) out of loneliness
                                                                          (2) Nehru said the India’s struggle for freedom was
1174. His heart stood still because he was seized by _____                    new and sudden.
        (1) a monstrous fury       (2) courage                            (3) Nehru believed that India could take huge steps
        (3) a monstrous terror (4) joy                                        towards realising its dreams.
1175. He was not falling headlong but                                     (4) Nehru believed that India’s dreams were too
        (1) he was afraid                                                     unrealistic.
        (2) he was soaring downwards and outwards                 1180. The most dominant voice in the speech is :
        (3) his stomach was full                                          (1) the voice of optimism
        (4) he was joining his father                                     (2) the voice of surrender
1176. The seagull just felt dizzy                                         (3) the voice of negligence
        (1) and was filled with fear                                      (4) the voice of weakness
        (2) and was no longer afraid                              1181. Select the answer which best reflects Nehru’s point
        (3) and did not flap his wings anymore                            of view.
        (4) and dived lower                                               (1) Nehru believed that Communalism would not be
1177. What did the young seagull do when his mother                           a problem.
        swooped past him ?                                                (2) Nehru believed that Communalism would be a
                                                                              positive force.
        (1) Let out a joyous scream
                                                                          (3) Nehru believed that Communalism would be dan-
        (2) Screamed at her in anger
                                                                              gerous for India.
        (3) Made a loud noise
                                                                          (4) Nehru believed that Communalism would make
        (4) Flapped anxiously                                                 any nation great.
       Directions (1178-1182) : In the following questions,       1182. What mansion did Nehru want to see built?
a passage is given with 5 questions following it. Read the                (1) Nehru believed that the expensive mansion of
passage carefully and choose the best answer to each                          India should be built.
question out of the four alternatives.
                                                                          (2) Nehru believed that the honourable mansion of
             (SSC CGL Tier-I (CBE) Exam. 29.08.2016 (Ist sitting)
                                                                              India should be built.
       “Tryst with Destiny” was a speech delivered by                     (3) Nehru believed that the simple mansion of India
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent                     should be built.
India, to the Indian Constituent Assembly in Parliament, on
                                                                          (4) Nehru believed that the huge mansion of India
14th August, 1947. It is considered to be one of the greatest
                                                                              should be built.
                                                            SEE–1021