Quizzes & Surveys

Reading Comprehension - I

Read the following extract from an article about Philosophy of Time and answer the questions from 1 to 5 given at the end of the paragraph. Extract from an Article on the Philosophy of Time Time is an enigmatic concept that has perplexed philosophers, scientists, and artists for centuries. At its core, time serves as a fundamental parameter of existence, governing change, causality, and human perception. However, the exact nature of time remains elusive, giving rise to a plethora of interpretations and debates. In classical physics, time is treated as an independent, unidirectional flow—a backdrop against which events unfold. This Newtonian view posits time as absolute, existing uniformly and unaffected by external influences. However, Einstein’s theory of relativity shattered this notion, demonstrating that time is relative, intertwined with space, and influenced by gravitational forces. Time dilation, wherein the passage of time slows under strong gravitational fields or at high velocities, highlights the non-absolute nature of temporal experience. Beyond physics, philosophers have long grappled with the ontology of time. The debate between presentism and eternalism, for instance, questions whether only the present moment is real or whether past, present, and future exist simultaneously. Presentists argue that the past is merely a record and the future a projection, whereas eternalists contend that all temporal states hold equal ontological status, much like spatial locations. This dispute extends to the philosophy of language and cognition, influencing how humans conceptualize temporal sequences. Another challenge lies in the subjectivity of temporal experience. Psychological time does not always align with objective time; moments of extreme danger or deep concentration can alter one’s perception of duration. Neuroscientists have identified cognitive mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon, yet a comprehensive explanation remains elusive. Additionally, cultural frameworks shape time perception—linear in Western traditions, cyclical in Eastern philosophies—further complicating any universal theory of time. Despite its fundamental role in reality, time resists a singular, all-encompassing definition. Its nature oscillates between scientific law, philosophical abstraction, and human perception, ensuring that discussions about time remain as dynamic and fluid as time itself.

1. What fundamental shift did Einstein’s theory of relativity introduce to our understanding of time?

2. The presentism versus eternalism debate primarily concerns:

3. The passage implies that temporal experience is influenced by:

4. Why does the writer mention cultural variations in the perception of time?

5. What is the main implication of the passage regarding the nature of time?

Reading Comprehension - II

Read the following extract from an article about Disruptive Business Models and Market Leadership and answer the questions from 1 to 5 given at the end of the paragraph. Extract from an Article on Disruptive Business Models and Market Leadership In an era of rapid technological advancement and shifting consumer preferences, businesses must continuously adapt to maintain their competitive edge. The concept of disruptive innovation, first introduced by Clayton Christensen, remains central to understanding how small, agile companies challenge dominant market leaders. Unlike sustaining innovations, which enhance existing products to serve established customers, disruptive innovations redefine industry paradigms by introducing simpler, more accessible, and cost-effective alternatives. These innovations often emerge in overlooked or underserved segments before gradually capturing mainstream markets. Historically, disruption has played a pivotal role in transforming industries. The rise of ride-sharing platforms exemplifies this phenomenon, as companies like Uber and Lyft leveraged digital connectivity to bypass traditional taxi licensing models. Initially dismissed by regulators and incumbents, these platforms capitalized on the inefficiencies of the taxi industry, offering superior convenience and dynamic pricing. Similarly, the decline of brick-and-mortar retail in favor of e-commerce underscores the power of business model innovation. Companies like Amazon and Alibaba redefined logistics, customer engagement, and supply chain efficiency, leaving traditional retailers struggling to compete. Despite its potential, disruption is not universally inevitable. Industry incumbents that recognize early warning signs and adapt proactively can neutralize disruptive threats. Companies like Microsoft and Apple have successfully balanced their core business strategies with innovation. Microsoft's transition to cloud-based services with Azure and Apple’s continuous reinvention of consumer technology illustrate how self-disruption—investing in new models while sustaining profitability—can be a pathway to long-term leadership. However, the innovator’s dilemma remains a persistent challenge for established firms. When companies prioritize short-term profitability and existing customer demands, they often resist investing in seemingly unprofitable emerging technologies. This reluctance creates an opening for startups that, while initially operating at the periphery, eventually become dominant. A classic example is Kodak’s failure to capitalize on digital photography. Despite inventing the first digital camera, Kodak’s management dismissed the technology for fear of cannibalizing its profitable film business. This strategic inertia ultimately led to Kodak’s decline, as competitors fully embraced digital imaging. To mitigate these risks, companies employ various strategic responses. Some pursue acquisition strategies, purchasing potential disruptors before they become formidable competitors. Facebook’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp exemplify this approach, ensuring control over emerging social media and messaging trends. Others engage in business model transformation, as seen with Netflix’s pivot from DVD rentals to streaming—a shift that not only anticipated but actively shaped consumer behavior. Furthermore, the role of ecosystem dynamics and platform-based competition has added complexity to market disruption. Traditional competitive advantages, such as cost leadership and brand equity, are being supplemented by network effects—where the value of a product increases as more users adopt it. Digital platforms like Google, Amazon, and Apple thrive on ecosystem-building, integrating services and creating customer lock-in through seamless connectivity across devices and applications. Ultimately, sustainable competitive advantage in the modern business landscape is predicated on adaptability, foresight, and the willingness to embrace transformation. Organizations that successfully anticipate and respond to disruptive forces secure long-term market dominance, while those that resist change risk obsolescence.

1. What distinguishes disruptive innovation from sustaining innovation?

2. Why did Kodak fail despite inventing the first digital camera?

3. Which strategic response is described as ‘self-disruption’ in the passage?

4. How do network effects contribute to modern competitive advantage?

5. What is the main implication of the passage regarding long-term business success?

1. Sita travelled from one point and then straight to Y at a distance of 90 m. She turned right and walked 40 m, then again turned right and walked 70 m. Finally, she turned right and walked 40 m. How far is she from the starting point?

2. 0,7, 26, 63,7 ?

3. P is the brother of N. O is the daughéer of N. R is the sister of P and-Q is the brother of O. Who is the uncle of Q?

4. Six people—A, B, C, D, E, and F—are standing in a circle. B is standing between F and C. A is standing between E and D. F is standing to the left of D. Who is standing between A and F?

5. Identify the type of sentence - 'If it rains, the match will be postponed'.

BUSINESS ANALYSIS - 1 ::: Brooks and Company was a food manufacturer established in 1850. Until 1977, its major product lines had consisted of tomato specialties, such as catsup, pickles and barbecue sauces. Its consumer products business accounted for 40% of sales; the balance consisted of institutional sales to restaurants, hospitals, and the armed forces. The company had advertised to the institutional market but never to final (household) consumers. In 1977, the company introduced a new line of Italian specialty products aimed at the final consumer market. The line was composed of a number of prepared pasta dishes, such as spaghetti, lasagna, and ravioli. Each package contained all of the necessary ingredients (except meat) including seasoned tomato sauce, cheese, and noodles. The idea for the line of Italian pasta products had been conceived by Joe Brooks, son of the company president. Joe’s enthusiasm for the product idea was quickly picked up by other executives. The president had married an Italian woman after World War I and their only child, Joe, had been born in Naples, Italy. Because they lacked a Neapolitan (a native of Naples) background, William Johnson, production manager, and Carl Voght, treasurer, approved of the idea on less emotional grounds. Johnson saw in the Italian line certain production possibilities that fitted well with the company’s existing facilities, Mr. Voght had long argued for some type of expansion which would enable the company to solve a number of financial problems associated with its inability to attract outside capital. Many planning meetings were held throughout the summer. These meetings were attended by both the Brookes, Johnson and Voght. Charles Welch, an administrative assistant to the president, was instructed to sit in on the sessions after he returned from vacation on August 1. He acted as informal secretary for the group. The original thinking of the committee was that the product line should be introduced at the beginning of the fall food merchandising season, which started about October 1. This deadline, however, subsequently proved to be unrealistic. Production of the first items in the line did not get underway until September 30 and packaging difficulties prohibited introducing the product before mid-December. In July, the problems involved in the product introduction were not foremost in the planner’s thought Many hours were spent discussing the name of the product line. Finally, the name Velsuvio was adopted as a compromise, but without enthusiasm from Joe Brooks, who believed that the name such as Valencia better described the gourmet image, he thought the line should express. With the exception of the name, the younger Brooks directed most of the decisions related to the marketing program. From the beginning he argued that there were already plenty of “middle class” spaghetti products on the grocers’ shelves. What was needed, he believed, was a prestige – even a “gourmet” line. The popularity of higher-priced Italian restaurants in many cities convinced young Brooks of the opportunity to market a prestige line of Italian food specialties. Early in the planning it was decided not to limit distribution to those regional markets in which Brooks had previously established its reputation. National distribution would be undertaken from the beginning. It was planned that the Velsuvio line would be marketed in all major food chains except those handling only private or controlled brands. Sales to chain headquarters would be made by food brokers handling gourmet products rather than by brokers used to the handling of high-volume canned goods. For the first time in its experience, Brooks planned to undertake an extensive consumer advertising program. A small Los Angeles advertising agency with slight experience in handling food products was appointed. However, by the time the agency had been selected and oriented to the marketing program, the time remaining before the scheduled introduction did not allow for the preparation of magazine advertisements or filmed television commercials. In order to break into the consumer market at the time of the scheduled product introduction on October 1, a consumer advertising program using newspapers, live television commercials, and radio was prepared. Except for the product introduction period, however, relatively little thought was given during the summer planning sessions to the total amount of money required to support the new product with consumer advertising. A number of circumstances combined to prevent the introduction of the product in October as originally planned. No one had assumed personal responsibility for package design and production was held up three weeks while the company waited for supplies of packaging materials. Brooks was forced to move very rapidly to obtain a package, and he was the first to admit that the result was neither very well designed functionally nor attractive from a promotional point of view. Time was short, however, and there was no choice but to use this package or abandon the project for the present season and possibly altogether, depending on competitive conditions. A hastily put together advertising campaign was introduced in November. However, advertising costs had been greatly underestimated, so that the intensity of the campaign was much lower than Brooks had anticipated, even with the limited budget. As a result, most of the budget was allocated to newspapers and radio. Moreover, problems with the scripting of the TV commercials delayed broadcasting until the beginning of December. Newspaper advertisements and radio commercials did commence, however, as planned. The new product was finally launched in mid-December. However, by February, two major competitors began marketing similar products. Shortly thereafter, a market research survey was sponsored by Brooks to determine whether the Velsuvio name made a favorable impression on housewives. The results of the survey were negative. Only twenty-two percent of the housewives interviewed could recall the Velsuvio name and of those, only twelve percent had tried the products. Consumer evaluation of the product line was far from encouraging. Of those who had tried the product for the first time, only four percent stated that they would buy it again. Another indication that worried Brook's management was that few major food chains showed interest in the line. By mid-year, Brook's product sales were so poor that management established a special committee to determine without delay what immediate steps might be taken to reverse the poor sales record of Velsuvio.

Another indication that worried Brook's management was that few major food chains showed interest in the line. By mid-year, Brook's product sales were so poor that management established a special committee to determine without delay what immediate steps might be taken to reverse the poor sales record of Velsuvio. DIRECTIONS: The questions that follow relate to the preceding passage. Evaluate, in terms of the passage, each of the items given. Then select your answer from one of the following classifications and blacken the corresponding space on the answer sheet.

1.Delay in launching Velsuvio line.

2.Difficulties with new package design.

3.Need for a "gourmet" Italian food line.

4.Market entry of competitors.

5.Obtaining packaging materials.

6.Introducing the new product on October 1.

7.Interest of major food chains in Velsuvio.

8.Scripting of TV commercials.

9.Consumer’s preference of media of advertisement

10.Target segment would perceive Velsuvio as a gourmet range of products

BUSINESS ANALYSIS - 2 :::: Read the following extract from an article about incompetent employees and the answer the questions from 1 to 5 given at the end of the paragraph. Introduction to a book about the history of colour This book examines how the ever-changing role of colour in society has been reflected in manuscripts, stained glass, clothing, painting and popular culture. Colour is a natural phenomenon, of course, but it is also a complex cultural construct that resists generalization and, indeed, analysis itself. No doubt this is why serious works devoted to colour are rare, and rarer still are those that aim to study it in historical context. Many authors search for the universal or archetypal truths they imagine reside in colour, but for the historian, such truths do not exist. Colour is first and foremost a social phenomenon. There is no transcultural truth to colour perception, despite what many books based on poorly grasped neurobiology or – even worse – on pseudoesoteric pop psychology would have us believe. Such books unfortunately clutter the bibliography on the subject, and even do it harm. The silence of historians on the subject of colour, or more particularly their difficulty in conceiving colour as a subject separate from other historical phenomena, is the result of three different sets of problems. The first concerns documentation and preservation. We see the colours transmitted to us by the past as time has altered them and not as they were originally. Moreover, we see them under light conditions that often are entirely different from those known by past societies. And finally, over the decades we have developed the habit of looking at objects from the past in black-and-white photographs and, despite the current diffusion of colour photography, our ways of thinking about and reacting to these objects seem to have remained more or less black and white. The second set of problems concerns methodology. As soon as the historian seeks to study colour, he must grapple with a host of factors all at once: physics, chemistry, materials, and techniques of production, as well as iconography, ideology, and the symbolic meanings that colours convey. How to make sense of all of these elements? How can one establish an analytical model facilitating the study of images and coloured objects? No researcher, no method, has yet been able to resolve these problems, because among the numerous facts pertaining to colour, a researcher tends to select those facts that support his study and to conveniently forget those that contradict it. This is clearly a poor way to conduct research. And it is made worse by the temptation to apply to the objects and images of a given historical period information found in texts of that period. The proper method – at least in the first phase of analysis – is to proceed as do palaeontologists (who must study cave paintings without the aid of texts): by extrapolating from the images and the objects themselves a logic and a system based on various concrete factors such as the rate of occurrence of particular objects and motifs, their distribution and disposition. In short, one undertakes the internal structural analysis with which any study of an image or coloured object should begin/ The third set of problems is philosophical: it is wrong to project our own conceptions and definitions of colour onto the images, objects and monuments of past centuries. Our judgements and values are not those of previous societies (and no doubt they will change again in the future). For the writer-historian looking at the definitions and taxonomy of colour, the danger of anachronism is very real. For example, the spectrum with its natural order of colours was unknown before the seventeenth century, while the notion of primary and secondary colours did not become common until the nineteenth century. These are not eternal notions but stages in the ever-changing history of knowledge. I have reflected on such issues at greater length in my previous work, so while the present book does address certain of them, for the most part it is devoted to other topics. Nor is it concerned only with the history of colour in images and artworks – in any case that area still has many gaps to be filled. Rather, the aim of this book is to examine all kinds of objects in order to consider the different facets of the history of colour and to show how far beyond the artistic sphere this history reaches. The history of painting is one thing; that of colour is another, much larger, question. Most studies devoted to the history of colour err in considering only the pictorial, artistic or scientific realms. But the lessons to be learned from colour and its real interest lie elsewhere.

1.What problem regarding colour does the writer explain in the first paragraph?

2.What is the first reason the writer gives for the lack of academic work on the history of colour?

3.The writer suggests that the priority when conducting historical research on colour is to

4. In the fourth paragraph, the writer says that the historian writing about colour should be careful

5.In the fifth paragraph, the writer says there needs to be further research done on

6.An idea recurring in the text is that people who have studied colour have

READING COMPREHENSION - II

Read the following extract from an article about Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Healthcare, and answer the questions from 1 to 5 given at the end of the paragraph. Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly transformed various sectors, and healthcare is no exception. From diagnosing diseases to predicting patient outcomes, AI has revolutionized the way medical professionals operate. Machine learning algorithms can analyze vast amounts of medical data to detect patterns that may not be easily identifiable by human doctors. This ability to process large-scale information efficiently helps in early disease detection and personalized treatment. Despite its advantages, AI in healthcare is not without challenges. One major concern is the reliability of AI-generated diagnoses. Since AI systems are trained on historical data, any biases in the data can lead to incorrect conclusions. Another issue is the lack of human empathy, which remains crucial in patient care. A machine can predict an illness, but it cannot provide the emotional support that a doctor can. Ethical concerns also arise with AI in medicine. The collection and storage of patient data raise questions about privacy and security. Who owns the data, and how can it be protected from misuse? These concerns need to be addressed through strict regulations and ethical guidelines. Moreover, AI is not meant to replace doctors but to assist them. The ideal approach is to integrate AI as a supportive tool while ensuring that human expertise remains central to decision-making. When used responsibly, AI has the potential to enhance medical accuracy, reduce workload, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

1.What is one major advantage of AI in healthcare?

2.Why is the reliability of AI-generated diagnoses a concern?

3.What ethical concern is associated with AI in medicine?

4.According to the passage, what is the best way to use AI in healthcare?

5.What is one limitation of AI in healthcare, as mentioned in the passage?

If DARE is coded as 1083 and FATE is coded as 2093, then FARE is coded as?

A, B, C, and D are to be seated in a row. But C and D cannot be together. Also, B cannot be at the third place. Which of the following must be false?

Read the information given below and then answer the questions

How many male members are there in the family?

What is the profession of P?

Who are the two married couples in the family?

How is P related to T?

In the given figure, how many huts are covered and muddy?

58. 8(6+5) – 10 =?

Statements:

At dusk, Raman started walking facing the sun. After a while, he met his friend and both turned to their left. They halted for a while and started moving by turning again to their right. Finally, Raman waved 'goodbye' to his friend and took a left turn at a corner. In which direction is Raman moving now?

DIRECTIONS: Each question has two statements, (I) and (II). Using the given data and your knowledge of mathematics and everyday facts, determine which statement(s) are sufficient to answer the question.

1. What is the speed of the boat in still water?

2. What is the height of a circular cone?

3. How many daughters does M have?

4. On which day of the week did Sanjay visit Mumbai?

5. In which direction is City M situated with respect to City D?

6.In a certain code, ‘al ed nop’ means ‘We play chess’. Which code word means “chess”?

7. The average age of P, Q, R, and S is 30 years. How old is R?

8.A and B together can complete a task in 7 days. B alone can do it in 20 days. What part of the work was carried out by A?

9. What is the colour of fresh grass?

10. What is Mala's position from the right end in a row of children?

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

The manager, as well as his subordinates, were present at the meeting.

Each of the employees are expected to complete the training by next month.

The project team discussed about the challenges they faced during implementation.

The new policy will effect all employees in the company.

Either the manager or the employees needs to attend the meeting.

The committee were unable to reach a final decision on the proposal.

Agile

Meticulous

Concur

Prudent

Furtive

Business Situation Analysis ::: Brooks and Company was a food manufacturer established in 1850. Until 1977, its major product lines had consisted of tomato specialties, such as catsup, pickles and barbecue sauces. Its consumer products business accounted for 40% of sales; the balance consisted of institutional sales to restaurants, hospitals, and the armed forces. The company had advertised to the institutional market but never to final (household) consumers. In 1977, the company introduced a new line of Italian specialty products aimed at the final consumer market. The line was composed of a number of prepared pasta dishes, such as spaghetti, lasagna, and ravioli. Each package contained all of the necessary ingredients (except meat) including seasoned tomato sauce, cheese, and noodles. The idea for the line of Italian pasta products had been conceived by Joe Brooks, son of the company president. Joe’s enthusiasm for the product idea was quickly picked up by other executives. The president had married an Italian woman after World War I and their only child, Joe, had been born in Naples, Italy. Because they lacked a Neapolitan (a native of Naples) background, William Johnson, production manager, and Carl Voght, treasurer, approved of the idea on less emotional grounds. Johnson saw in the Italian line certain production possibilities that fitted well with the company’s existing facilities, Mr. Voght had long argued for some type of expansion which would enable the company to solve a number of financial problems associated with its inability to attract outside capital. Many planning meetings were held throughout the summer. These meetings were attended by both the Brookes, Johnson and Voght. Charles Welch, an administrative assistant to the president, was instructed to sit in on the sessions after he returned from vacation on August 1. He acted as informal secretary for the group. The original thinking of the committee was that the product line should be introduced at the beginning of the fall food merchandising season, which started about October 1. This deadline, however, subsequently proved to be unrealistic. Production of the first items in the line did not get underway until September 30 and packaging difficulties prohibited introducing the product before mid-December. In July, the problems involved in the product introduction were not foremost in the planner’s thought Many hours were spent discussing the name of the product line. Finally, the name Velsuvio was adopted as a compromise, but without enthusiasm from Joe Brooks, who believed that the name such as Valencia better described the gourmet image, he thought the line should express. With the exception of the name, the younger Brooks directed most of the decisions related to the marketing program. From the beginning he argued that there were already plenty of “middle class” spaghetti products on the grocers’ shelves. What was needed, he believed, was a prestige – even a “gourmet” line. The popularity of higher-priced Italian restaurants in many cities convinced young Brooks of the opportunity to market a prestige line of Italian food specialties. Early in the planning it was decided not to limit distribution to those regional markets in which Brooks had previously established its reputation. National distribution would be undertaken from the beginning. It was planned that the Velsuvio line would be marketed in all major food chains except those handling only private or controlled brands. Sales to chain headquarters would be made by food brokers handling gourmet products rather than by brokers used to the handling of high-volume canned goods. For the first time in its experience, Brooks planned to undertake an extensive consumer advertising program. A small Los Angeles advertising agency with slight experience in handling food products was appointed. However, by the time the agency had been selected and oriented to the marketing program, the time remaining before the scheduled introduction did not allow for the preparation of magazine advertisements or filmed television commercials. In order to break into the consumer market at the time of the scheduled product introduction on October 1, a consumer advertising program using newspapers, live television commercials, and radio was prepared. Except for the product introduction period, however, relatively little thought was given during the summer planning sessions to the total amount of money required to support the new product with consumer advertising. A number of circumstances combined to prevent the introduction of the product in October as originally planned. No one had assumed personal responsibility for package design and production was held up three weeks while the company waited for supplies of packaging materials. Brooks was forced to move very rapidly to obtain a package, and he was the first to admit that the result was neither very well designed functionally nor attractive from a promotional point of view. Time was short, however, and there was no choice but to use this package or abandon the project for the present season and possibly altogether, depending on competitive conditions. A hastily put together advertising campaign was introduced in November. However, advertising costs had been greatly underestimated, so that the intensity of the campaign was much lower than Brooks had anticipated, even with the limited budget. As a result, most of the budget was allocated to newspapers and radio. Moreover, problems with the scripting of the TV commercials delayed broadcasting until the beginning of December. Newspaper advertisements and radio commercials did commence, however, as planned. The new product was finally launched in mid-December. However, by February, two major competitors began marketing similar products. Shortly thereafter, a market research survey was sponsored by Brooks to determine whether the Velsuvio name made a favorable impression on housewives. The results of the survey were negative. Only twenty-two percent of the housewives interviewed could recall the Velsuvio name and of those, only twelve percent had tried the products. Consumer evaluation of the product line was far from encouraging. Of those who had tried the product for the first time, only four percent stated that they would buy it again. Another indication that worried Brook's management was that few major food chains showed interest in the line. By mid-year, Brook's product sales were so poor that management established a special committee to determine without delay what immediate steps might be taken to reverse the poor sales record of Velsuvio. DIRECTIONS: The questions that follow relate to the preceding passage. Evaluate, in terms of the passage, each of the items given. Then select your answer from one of the following classifications and blacken the corresponding space on the answer sheet. • A MAJOR OBJECTIVE in making the decision: one of the goals sought by the decision maker. • A MAJOR FACTOR in making the decision: an aspect of the problem, specifically mentioned in the passage, that fundamentally affects and/or determines the decisions. • A MINOR FACTOR in making the decision: a less important element bearing on or affecting a Major Factor, rather than a Major Objective directly. • A MAJOR ASSUMPTION in making the decision: a projection or supposition arrived at by the decision maker before considering the factors and alternatives.

1.Possibility of using existing production facilities in manufacturing Velsuvio products.

2.Likelihood of achieving wide consumer acceptance of the Velsuvio line.

3.Company growth and expansion.

4.The name Valencia better described the gourmet image.

5.The popularity of high-priced Italian restaurants in the U.S.

6.Depth of Brooks' expertise in the sale of consumer products.

7.Market survey results.

8.Estimated cost of advertising campaign.

9.National distribution of the Velsuvio line.

10.Brook's inability to attract outside capital.

READING COMPREHENSION - II ::: Read the following extract from an article about incompetent employees and the answer the questions from 1 to 6 given at the end of the paragraph. There has been a trend in recent years for companies to take ‘expert’ advice on a variety of core business matters such as mission statements, values, and corporate and social responsibility policies and strategy. In many cases, however, companies go well beyond legitimate and desirable benchmarking or acquiring critical knowledge. What they do may even amount to the outsourcing of the management thought process and of management’s engagement with staff and others. In my opinion, this is unhealthy, because it tends to remove managers from the effects of their actions. The role of management – despite, or maybe because of, the increasing complexity of business – is to provide the flexible glue that holds together all the pieces that make up an organisation and its environment, from shareholders to staff, and from competitive forces to markets. To be the glue in this context, leaders need significant abilities. They include the normally touted skills, such as clear communication – although many firms outsource control of their communications to a public relations agency, which ends up writing the script. But perhaps more important is the often neglected skill of understanding the complex interplay between interested groups of people. This encompasses an ability to understand their strategic interests as well as reading the individuals that you’re dealing with – and having the personal and interpersonal skills to get results. Such astuteness is not about doing enough staff surveys or producing lots of newsletters – although these have their place. It’s about management teams having empathy for the groups they work with. Such understanding of the character of an organisation is vital and provides a solid base for progress. If managers have an in-depth understanding of the issues that interest, bother or motivate their staff, they will be far more successful at engaging people to respond to the future challenges of the organisation. As a result, progress is more likely to include the majority than the minority. Every company has a character that is a product of its history and its current staff, a set of underlying values and behaviours which may not coincide with those claimed in the annual report. Often, these emerge in times of stress – they provide the default position when people are being made redundant or pension plans are being changed. Understanding this is vital. Woe betide any manager who can’t sense how an organisation is feeling. Such deep values can change, but this rarely happens by revolution. For most organisations, it is evolution – often gentle but persistent – that is likely to carry change further. Too many managers write a decisive ‘big change’ board paper rather than a potentially far more effective recommendation for incremental progress. Regardless of whether it’s incremental or sudden, though, change – and hopefully progress – is more likely to be effective and take hold if the leaders of an organisation understand and are sensitive to the underlying values. For me, this is a way in which leaders can be most valuable: by appraising the shifting behaviour of interacting groups of people when they are made uncomfortable. The mistake is for company leaders to base every pronouncement on the indexing of staff attitudes, corporate social responsibility benchmarking and a multitude of CEO blogs and corporate communications. In my view, leadership is about judgement and about being respectful to existing values. Leadership decisions may be manifested in a speech or even a blog, but the communication must be the consequence of a management team’s thoughts and deliberations. Formulaic and clumsy responses are just no use.

1. What does the writer criticise in the first paragraph?

2. What opinion does the writer express in the second paragraph?

3. According to the third paragraph, understanding the character of the organisation helps managers to

4. What point is made about company culture in the fourth paragraph?

5. What does the writer suggest in the fifth paragraph about introducing change?

6. According to the last paragraph, leaders should

ANALYTICAL REASONING

If A + B means A is the mother of B; A – B means A is the brother of B; A % B means A is the father of B and A × B means A is the sister of B, which of the following shows that P is the maternal uncle of Q?

138, 142, 146, 150, ?, 142, 138

A, P, R, X, S, and Z are sitting in a row. S and Z are in the centre. A and P are at the ends. R is sitting to the left of A. Who is to the right of P?

Pointing to a man, a woman said, "His mother is the only daughter of my mother." How is the woman related to the man?

Satish starts from his house and takes two right turns and then one left turn. Now he is moving towards south. In which direction did Satish start from his house?

If PUNCTUAL can be written as 47819765, how can LUNA be written in that code?

Which is odd?

What is the number of straight lines and the number of triangles in the given figure?

Answer the following questions based on the information given below: The proportion of male students and the proportion of vegetarian students in a school are given below. The school has a total of 800 students, 80% of whom are in the secondary section and the rest are equally divided between class 11 and 12. , What is the percentage of vegetarian students in class 12?

Which is odd? - Jeevan Raksha Padak, ParamVir Chakra, Padma Bhusan, Bharat Ratna

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION :::: DIRECTIONS: Each question has two statements, (I) and (II). Using the given data and your knowledge of mathematics and everyday facts, determine which statement(s) are sufficient to answer the question. Mark (I) if the question can be answered with the help of statement I alone. Mark (II) if the question can be answered with the help of statement II alone. Mark (Both) if both statements are needed to answer the question. Mark (None) if even with both statements, the question cannot be answered.

1. Who is the heaviest among P, Q, R, S, T, and U? • (I) P is heavier than T and U and is the second heaviest in the group. • (II) S is heavier than Q but is not the heaviest.

2. Which direction is Raju facing at the moment? • (I) Raju took 2 consecutive right turns after covering a distance of 6m to reach point X. • (II) After walking 4m early morning from point X, Raju is facing opposite to the sun.

3. Which of the five trains A, B, C, D, and E is the best? • (I) D train is better than E, A, and C but not as good as B. • (II) D train is better than C but not as good as B, which is better than E.

4. How is W related to Y? • (I) W is the son of Y's grandfather X. • (II) The sister of Y is the mother of W's son Z.

5. Is xy < 15? • (I) 0.5 < x < 1, and y² = 144. • (II) x < 3, y < 5.

6. What is the length of a running train crossing another 180-metre-long train running in the opposite direction? • (I) The relative speed of the two trains was 150 kmph. • (II) The trains took 9 seconds to cross each other.

7. A man mixes two types of rice (X and Y) and sells the mixture at Rs. 17 per kg. What is his profit percentage? • (I) The rate of X is Rs. 20 per kg. • (II) The rate of Y is Rs. 13 per kg.

8. How much time did X take to reach the destination? • (I) The ratio between the speed of X and Y is 3:4. • (II) Y takes 36 minutes to reach the same destination.

9. What is the two-digit number whose first digit is a and the second digit is b? • (I) The number is a multiple of 51. • (II) The sum of the digits a and b is 6.

10+-0. In what proportion would the annual profit be distributed among Raj, Anu, and Vinu? • (I) Raj got one-fourth of the profit. • (II) Raj and Vinu contributed 75% of the total investment.

With utmost respect to the Supreme Court, it is absolutely incorrect to state domestic violence is gender-neutral.

The leadership dialogue recognized that we are living in a period of immense turbulence, disruption, and even subversion.

The efforts of the central government in ensuring food security should be replicated in States that are ought to fully implement the Act and reform their respective distribution systems.

The committee has been given a wide-ranging mandate that included examining the feasibility of a national law to ban cow slaughter by amending the Constitution.

We are always looking for ways to operate effectively to serve our members. This requires as to review our corporate structure to ensure that we are organized in the right way to best meet the needs of our members.

The parent company have given a mandate to either turn around the business or face a massive scale-down, said another person aware of Walmart’s plans.

The government has taken a position to wait and watch and there is no need to panic,” the minister said.

Thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes around Taal, one of the world’s smallest active volcano which spewed ash for the second day from its crater in the middle of the lake.

The top banks are getting ready to roll out a system that gives consumers access to a wide swath of their financial data and allow them to share it instantly.

Scientists are still trying to understand how the firestorms are created although weather, terrain, vegetation, and characteristics of the fire itself play a role.

Embers

Profuse

Delving

Derogatory

Skirmish