Gradient

INFOSYS NEAR TEST PATTERN: ENGLISH

Number of Questions: 36 Time: 35 Minutes Directions for Questions 1-10. Answer the questions that follow the passage based on the information given in the passage

Passage 1
Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems. First, it is the poorest of the poor. Only paltry sums are available for excavating and even less is available for publishing the results and preserving the sites once excavated. Yet archaeologists deal with priceless objects every day. Second, there is the problem of illegal excavation, resulting in museum-quality pieces being sold to the highest bidder. I would like to make an outrageous suggestion that would at one stroke provide funds for archaeology and reduce the amount of illegal digging. I would propose that scientific archeological expeditions and governmental authorities sell excavated artifacts on the open market. Such sales would provide substantial funds for the excavation and preservation of archaeological sites and the publication of results. At the same time, they would break the illegal excavators grip on the market, thereby decreasing the inducement to engage in illegal activities. You might object that professionals excavate to acquire knowledge, not money. Moreover, ancient artifacts are part of our global cultural heritage, which should be available for all to appreciate, not sold to the highest bidder. I agree. Sell nothing that has unique artistic merit or scientific value. But, you might reply everything that comes out of the ground has scientific value. Here we part company. Theoretically, you may be correct in claiming that every artifact has potential scientific value. Practically, you are wrong. I refer to the thousands of pottery vessels and ancient lamps that are essentially duplicates of one another. In one small excavation in Cyprus, archaeologists recently uncovered 2,000 virtually indistinguishable small jugs in a single courtyard, Even precious royal seal impressions known as lmelekh handles have been found in abundancemore than 4,000 examples so far. The basements of museums are simply not large enough to store the artifacts that are likely to be discovered in the future. There is not enough money even to catalogue the finds; as a result, they cannot be found again and become as inaccessible as if they had never been discovered. Indeed, with the help of a computer, sold artifacts could be more accessible than are the pieces stored in bulging museum basements. Prior to sale, each could be photographed and the list of the purchasers could be maintained on the computer. A purchaser could even be required to agree to return the piece if it should become needed for scientific purposes. It would be unrealistic to suggest that illegal digging would stop if artifacts were sold on the open market. But the demand for the clandestine product would be substantially reduced. Who would want an unmarked pot when another was available whose provenance was known, and that was dated stratigraphically by the professional archaeologist who excavated it? 1. The primary purpose of the passage is to propose (A) an alternative to museum display of artifacts (B) a way to curb illegal digging while benefiting the archaeological profession (C) a way to distinguish artifacts with scientific value from those that have no such value (D) the governmental regulation of archaeological sites (E) a new system for cataloguing duplicate artifacts

Gradient/Infy pattern 1

Gradient
2. The author implies that all of the following statements about duplicate artifacts are true EXCEPT: (A) A market for such artifacts already exists. (B) Such artifacts seldom have scientific value. (C) There is likely to be a continuing supply of such artifacts. (D) Museums are well supplied with examples of such artifacts. (E) Such artifacts frequently exceed in quality those already catalogued in museum collections. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage as a disadvantage of storing artifacts in museum basements? (A) Museum officials rarely allow scholars access to such artifacts. (B) Space that could be better used for display is taken up for storage. (C) Artifacts discovered in one excavation often become separated from each other. (D) Such artifacts are often damaged by variations in temperature and humidity. (E) Such artifacts often remain uncatalogued and thus cannot be located once they are put in storage. The author mentions the excavation in Cyprus to emphasize which of the following points? (A) Ancient lamps and pottery vessels are less valuable, although more rare, than royal seal impressions. (B) Artifacts that are very similar to each other present cataloguing difficulties to archaeologists. (C) Artifacts that are not uniquely valuable, and therefore could be sold, are available in large quantities. (D) Cyprus is the most important location for unearthing large quantities of salable artifacts. (E) Illegal sales of duplicate artifacts are wide-spread, particularly on the island of Cyprus. The authors argument concerning the effect of the official sale of duplicate artifacts on illegal excavation is based on which of the following assumptions? (A) Prospective purchasers would prefer to buy authenticated artifacts. (B) The price of illegally excavated artifacts would rise. (C) Computers could be used to trace sold artifacts. (D) Illegal excavators would be forced to sell only duplicate artifacts. (E) Money gained from selling authenticated artifacts could be used to investigate and prosecute illegal excavators.

3.

4.

5.

Passage 2
In the modern scientific story, light was created not once but twice. The first time was in the Big Bang, when the universe began its existence as a glowing, expanding, fireball, which cooled off into darkness after a few million years. The second time was hundreds of millions of years later, when the cold material condensed into dense suggests under the influence of gravity, and ignited to become the first stars. Sir Martin Rees, Britain's royal astronomer named the long interval between these two enlightenments the cosmic 'Dark Age'. The name describes not only the poorly lit conditions, but also the ignorance of astronomers about that period. Nobody knows exactly when the first stars formed, or how they organised

Gradient/Infy pattern 1

Gradient
themselves into galaxies - or even whether stars were the first luminous objects. Quasars may have preceded them, which are mysterious, bright spots found at the centres of some galaxies. Now two independent groups of astronomers, one led by Robert Becker of the University of California, Davis, and the other by George Djorgovski of the Caltech, claim to have peered far enough into space with their telescopes (and therefore backwards enough in time) to observe the closing days of the Dark age. The main problem that plagued previous efforts to study the Dark Age was not the lack of suitable telescopes, but rather the lack of suitable things at which to point them. Because these events took place over 13 billion years ago, if astronomers are to have any hope of unravelling them they must study objects that are at least 13 billion light years away. The best prospects are quasars, because they are so bright and compact that they can be seen across vast stretches of space. The energy source that powers a quasar is unknown, although it is suspected to be the intense gravity of a giant black hole. However, at the distances required for the study of Dark Age, even quasars are extremely rare and faint. Recently some members of Dr Becker's team announced their discovery of the four most distant quasars known. All the new quasars are terribly faint, a challenge that both teams overcame by peering at them through one of the twin Keck telescopes in Hawaii. These are the world's largest, and can therefore collect the most light. The new work by Dr Becker's team analysed the light from all four quasars. Three of them appeared to be similar to ordinary, less distant quasars. However, the fourth and most distant, unlike any other quasar ever seen, showed unmistakable signs of being shrouded in a fog because new-born stars and quasars emit mainly ultraviolet light, and hydrogen gas is opaque to ultraviolet. Seeing this fog had been the goal of would-be Dark Age astronomers since 1965, when James Gunn and Bruce Peterson spelled out the technique for using quasars as backlighting beacons to observe the fog's ultraviolet shadow. The fog prolonged the period of darkness until the heat from the first stars and quasars had the chance to ionise the hydrogen (breaking into its constituent parts, protons and electrons). Ionised hydrogen is transparent to ultraviolet radiation, so at that moment the fog lifted and the universe became the well-lit place it is today. For this reason, the end of the Dark Age is called the 'Epoch of Re-ionisation'. Because the ultraviolet shadow is visible only in the most distant of the four quasars, Dr Becker's team concluded that the fog had dissipated completely by the time the universe was about 900 million years old, and oneseventh of its current size. 6. In the passage, the Dark Age refers to a. the period when the universe became cold after the Big Bang. b. a period about which astronomers know very little. c. the medieval period when cultural activity seemed to have come to an end. d. the time that the universe took to heat up after the Big Bang. 7. Astronomers find it difficult to study the Dark Age because a. suitable telescopes are few. b. the associated events took place aeons ago. c. the energy source that powers a quasars is unknown. d. their best chance is to study quasars, which are faint objects to begin with.

Gradient/Infy pattern 1

Gradient
8. The four most distant quasars discovered recently a. could only be seen with the help of large telescopes. b. appear to be similar to other ordinary, quasars. c. appear to be shrouded in a fog of hydrogen gas. d. have been sought to be discovered by Dark Age astronomers since 1965. 9. The fog of hydrogen gas seen through the telescopes a. is transparent to hydrogen radiation from stars and quasars in all states. b. was lifted after heat from starts and quasars ionised it. c. is material which eventually became stars and quasars. d. is broken into constituent elements when stars and quasars are formed. Directions for the questions 10-19: In each of the sentences below, parts of the sentences are left blank beneath each sentence, four different ways of completing the sentences have been indicated. Choose the set of words for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole. 10. There was a ..silence in the Bangladeshi dressing room at Melbourne when for the third time in a month, the Bangladeshis while chasing the gargantuan figure of 300. a. pregnant.rejoiced b. quiet..won c. deathlycracked d. eerie.faltered D 11. Americans have been living ..for years; the excess spending was possible due to increased a. by the wayside.purchases b. beyond their means.set off c. on the edge.consumerism d. by their consumerismlending B 12. Marketers who wish to extend their brand down the line to attract the middle class segments should ensure that the new variants do not ..the existing brands a. cannibalize b. eclipse c. depend upon d. co-brand B 13. The Bakshi murder case was reminiscent of the Desai case, it was brought to light in both the cases that there was a .. insanity in the family. a. celebrated .. dose of b. grandiosecrack c. celebrated.strain of d. plain..store of C Choose the correct alternative to fill the blanks from the corresponding Question number. Musharraf14himself president for five more years15..of who came to power in the elections, and also insists on staying at the 16..of the army 17..too are the reforms and the amendments to the constitutions introduced by Musharraf after 18..sharif 14. a. decreed b. described c. decried d. bribed A 15. a. respected b. concerning c. irrespective d. thinking C 16. a. balm b. helm c. headquarters d. behest B 17. a. ferocious b. malicious c. contentious d. pretentious B 18. a. overthrowing b. in throwing c. throwing d. outthrowing A

Gradient/Infy pattern 1

Gradient
19. The telephone symbolizes that awkward..in all communication technologies; while it .to bring us together, it keeps us apart a. paradox; tries b. irony; intends c. paradox; needs d. irony; wishes A

20. In India, the challenges are to raise incomes to reduce poverty, and to.inefficient
enterprises a. middle-class; privatize c. farm; liberalize b. workers ; suppress d. rural; restructure B

21. The troubled economyviolent crime a. led to wave of b. waved off a trigger of c. led to a wave of d. lead to a wave of 22. The planets biggest rock star is.. a. on a mission to make a difference c. on a mission to make differences

b. a missionary with a difference d. of a mission to make a difference

23. took a vicious turn as well armed rebels massacred government forces a. The six-year old battle against Maoist insurgent b. The six-year old battle for Maoist insurgents c. The six-years old battle against Maoist insurgents d. The six-year old battle against Maoist insurgents D Direction for questions 24-33: The underlined part of the following sentences may have an error. Select the apt sentence from the options provided that rephrases the sentence correctly

24. Like Auden, the language of James Merrill is chatty, arch, and conversational - given to complex
aynatactic flights as well as to prosaic free-verse strolls. a. Like Auden, the language of James Merrill b. Like Auden, James Merrill's language c. Like Auden's , James Merrill's language d. As with Auden, James Merrill's language e. As is Auden's, the language of James Merrill 25. Similar to rising interest rates, consumer and producer prices have been rising. a. Similar to rising interest rates, consumer and producer prices have been rising. b. Consumer and producer prices have been rising, as have interest rates c. As interest rates are rising, so have consumer and producer prices d. Consumer and producer prices have been rising, like interest rates do e. Consumer and producer prices, as interest rates, have been rising

26. A native of Kansas who had a bank account at age seven and was paying the family bills at age eleven,
Olive Ann Beech's business mind was behind Beech Aviatin from the 1930's, when she and her husband founded the company, until its sale in 1980. a. Olive Ann Beech's business mind was

Gradient/Infy pattern 1

Gradient
b. c. d. e. It was the business mind of Olive Ann Beech that was Olive Ann Beech was the one whose business mind was Olive Ann Beech was the business mind the business mind of Olive Ann Beech was

27. In Japan elderly people are treated with far greater respect than most Western countries.
a. b. c. d. e. most Western countries most Western countries do most Western countries are they do in most Western countries they are in most Western countries

28. Like Haydn, Schubert wrote a great deal for the stage, but he is remembered principally for his camber
and concert-hall music. a. Like Haydn, Schubert b. Like Haydn, Schubert also c. As has Haydn, Schubert d. As did Haydn, Schubert also e. As Haydn did, Schubert also

29. Unlike earlier satellites that last a year or two before failing, the life span of the new orbiting
observatories is expected to be ten to twenty years. a. the life span of the new orbiting observatories is expected to be b. the life span of the new orbiting observatories, it is expected, will be c. it is expected that the life span of the new orbiting observatories would be d. the expectation is for the new orbiting observatories to have a life span of e. the new orbiting observatories are expected to have a life span of

30. Unlike Woodrow Wilson, who could at least console himself with the knowledge that he had created enduring reforms within his won country, the projects for domestic reform of Tsar Alexander all came to nothing.
a. b. c. d. e. The projects for domestic reform of Tsar Alexander all came Tsar Alexander's projects for domestic reform all came The projects of Tsar Alexander for domestic reform were all seen to come. The domestic reform projects to Tsar Alexander all came Tsar Alexander saw his projects for domestic reform all come

31. Someday computers may be able to "see" forms, just as they now can be made to recognize voices, a
problem of perception that is similar to artificial visions, but the solution has proved easier. a. that is similar to artificial vision, but the solution has proved easier b. that is similar to artificial vision but one that has proved easier to solve c. similar to that of artificial vision but is has proved easier to solve d. similar to that of artificial vision, but the solution has proved easier e. similar to that of artificial vision but one that has proved easier to solve

Gradient/Infy pattern 1

Gradient
32. One analyst of the liquor industry estimated that this year a few liquor stores have experience declining
sales of up to fifty percent but predicted that the industry as a whole will maintain a volume of sales fairly close to last year. a. declining sales of up to fifty percent but predicted that the industry as a whole will maintain a volume of sales fairly close to last year. b. declines in sales of up to fifty percent but predicted that the industry as a whole would have maintained a volume of sales fairly close to last year. c. up to fifty percent in declining sales but predicted that the industry as a whole will have maintain a volume of sale fairly close to last year. d. sales declines of up to fifty percent but predicted that the industry as a whole would maintain a volume of sales fairly close to last year's e. declines up to fifty percent of sales but predicted that the industry as a whole will have maintained a volume of sales fairly close to last year's.

33. Like his brother who did no wear his helmet and was injured in the accident, Rajan was always careful
and wore his helmet without fail. a. Like his brother who did not wear his helmet and was injured in the accident b. Just as his brother who did not wear his helmet and was injured in the accident c. Rajans brother did not wore a helmet and was injured in the accident d. Unlike his brother who did not wear his helmet and was injured in the accident e. In similarity to his brother who did not wear his helmet and was injured in the accident Directions for Questions 34-36: Read the Paragraphs below and answer the questions that follow The earths resources are being depleted much too fast. To correct this, the United States must keep its resource consumption at present levels for many years to come. 34. The argument above depends on which of the following assumptions? (A) Per capita resource consumption in the United States is at an all-time high. (B) The United States wastes resources. (C) The United States uses more resources than any other country. (D) The United States imports most of the resources it uses. (E) Curbing U.S. resource consumption will significantly retard world resource depletion. 35. Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above? (A) New resource deposits are constantly being discovered. (B) The United States consumes one-third of all resources used in the world. (C) Other countries need economic development more than the United States does. (D) Other countries have agreed to hold their resource consumption at present levels. (E) The United States has been conserving resources for several years. 36. Dear Applicant: Thank you for your application. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer you a position in our local government office for the summer. As you know, funding for summer jobs is limited, and it is impossible for us to offer jobs to all those who want them. Consequently, we are forced to reject many highly qualified applicants.

Gradient/Infy pattern 1

Gradient
Which of the following can be inferred from the letter? (A) The number of applicants for summer jobs in the government office exceeded the number of summer jobs available. (B) The applicant who received the letter was considered highly qualified. (C) Very little funding was available for summer jobs in the government office. (D) The application of the person who received the letter was considered carefully before being rejected. (E) Most of those who applied for summer jobs were considered qualified for the available positions.

Gradient/Infy pattern 1