Question : Comprehension:
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the question of where and when the Black Death, the deadliest pandemic ever, originated is one of the biggest mysteries in human history. After all, the Black Death was the first wave of the second plague pandemic of the 14th to early 19th centuries. It killed some 50-60% of the population in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and an unaccountable number of people in Central Asia. Different proposals, based on competing theories, have been put forward. But in 2017, I came across some records describing an intriguing medieval cemetery in Kara-Djigach, Chüy Valley, northern Kyrgyzstan, which I suspected may hold the key. As part of a multidisciplinary team co-led by Maria Spyrou at the University of Tubingen, we have now investigated several specimens from individuals buried at that site – and come up with an answer. The idea that the Black Death originated in the east – territories overlapping, roughly speaking, Central Asia, Mongolia and China – dates back to the contemporaries of the pandemic in Europe and the Islamic world. The modern, academic Chinese origin theory dates back to at least 1756-8 and a publication about the history of Central Asia by French scholar Joseph de Guignes.
What is the tone of the speaker?
Option 1: Humorous
Option 2: Explanatory
Option 3: Pessimistic
Option 4: Informal
Correct Answer: Explanatory
Solution : The correct choice is the second option.
The speaker is providing information and explanations about the origin of the Black Death, discussing different theories and their historical context. The passage is focused on presenting facts and research findings rather than using humour, expressing pessimism, or adopting an informal style.
Therefore, the tone of the speaker is explanatory.
Answer laterQuestion : Comprehension:
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the question of where and when the Black Death, the deadliest pandemic ever, originated is one of the biggest mysteries in human history. After all, the Black Death was the first wave of the second plague pandemic of the 14th to early 19th centuries. It killed some 50–60% of the population in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, and an unaccountable number of people in Central Asia. Different proposals, based on competing theories, have been put forward. But in 2017, I came across some records describing an intriguing medieval cemetery in Kara-Djigach, Chüy Valley, northern Kyrgyzstan, which I suspected may hold the key. As part of a multidisciplinary team co-led by Maria Spyrou at the University of Tubingen, we have now investigated several specimens from individuals buried at that site and come up with an answer. The idea that the Black Death originated in the east—territories overlapping, roughly speaking, Central Asia, Mongolia, and China—dates back to the contemporaries of the pandemic in Europe and the Islamic world. The modern, academic Chinese origin theory dates back at least to 1756–8, and a publication about the history of Central Asia by French scholar Joseph de Guignes.
Which of the following may be the probable origin of the Black Death, according to the passage?
Option 1: Kyrgyzstan
Option 2: India
Option 3: Mongolia
Option 4: China
Correct Answer: Kyrgyzstan
Solution : The first option is correct.
The probable origin of the Black Death, according to the passage, is Kyrgyzstan. The passage mentions the discovery of an intriguing medieval cemetery in Kara-Djigach, Chüy Valley, northern Kyrgyzstan, in 2017. The speaker suspected that this site may hold the key to the origin of the Black Death. The subsequent investigation of specimens from individuals buried at that site led to the conclusion discussed in the passage.
Therefore, the correct answer is Kyrgyzstan.
Question : Comprehension:
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the question of where and when the Black Death, the deadliest pandemic ever, originated is one of the biggest mysteries in human history. After all, the Black Death was the first wave of the second plague pandemic of the 14th to early 19th centuries. It killed some 50-60% of the population in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and an unaccountable number of people in Central Asia. Different proposals, based on competing theories, have been put forward. But in 2017, I came across some records describing an intriguing medieval cemetery in Kara-Djigach, Chüy Valley, northern Kyrgyzstan, which I suspected may hold the key. As part of a multidisciplinary team co-led by Maria Spyrou at the University of Tubingen, we have now investigated several specimens from individuals buried at that site – and come up with an answer. The idea that the Black Death originated in the east – territories overlapping, roughly speaking, Central Asia, Mongolia and China – dates back to the contemporaries of the pandemic in Europe and the Islamic world. The modern, academic Chinese origin theory dates back to at least 1756-8 and a publication about the history of Central Asia by French scholar Joseph de Guignes.
Select the suitable word given in the passage which means ‘areas of land under the jurisdiction of a ruler or state’.
Option 1: Territories
Option 2: Contemporaries
Option 3: Population
Option 4: Mysteries
Correct Answer: Territories
Solution : The correct choice is the first option.
The passage mentions, "The idea that the Black Death originated in the east—territories overlapping, roughly speaking, Central Asia, Mongolia, and China." Here, territories refers to regions or areas under consideration.
The meanings of other options are as follows:
- Contemporaries are people who lived during the same time period.
- Population is the total number of people living in a particular area.
- Mysteries mean puzzling or unexplained events or phenomena.
Therefore, the correct answer is territories.
Question : Comprehension:
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Indian mathematician Nikhil Srivastava, working at the University of California in Berkeley, is among the winners of the Prestigious 2021 Michael and Sheila Held Prize, announced last week by the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Adam W. Marcus, EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne), and Daniel Alan Spielman, Yale University, are the other two winners.
"Marcus, Spielman, and Srivastava solved longstanding questions on the Kadison-Singer problem and on Ramanujan graphs, and in the process, they uncovered a deep new connection between linear algebra, the geometry of polynomials, and graph theory that has inspired the next generation of theoretical computer scientists," the NAS said in a statement.
An Indian national, Nikhil was born in New Delhi in November 1983 and has attended educational institutions across the world—Syria, the UK, Saudi Arabia, and the US—as his father was an Indian Foreign Services officer, who has served as the Indian ambassador to Uganda and Denmark. At present, Nikhil is an associate professor of mathematics at UC Berkeley. The Michael and Sheila Held Prize is presented annually to honour outstanding, innovative, creative, and influential research in the area of combinatorial mathematics.
Question:
How many mathematicians won the Michael Sheila Prize for 2021?
Option 1: Four
Option 2: Two
Option 3: Three
Option 4: One
Correct Answer: Three
Solution : The correct choice is the third option.
As stated in the first paragraph, the prize was won by Nikhil Srivastava, Adam W. Marcus, and Daniel Alan Spielman, which makes this a total of three prize winners.
Therefore, the correct answer is three.
Question : Comprehension:
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the question of where and when the Black Death, the deadliest pandemic ever, originated is one of the biggest mysteries in human history. After all, the Black Death was the first wave of the second plague pandemic of the 14th to early 19th centuries. It killed some 50-60% of the population in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and an unaccountable number of people in Central Asia. Different proposals, based on competing theories, have been put forward. But in 2017, I came across some records describing an intriguing medieval cemetery in Kara-Djigach, Chüy Valley, northern Kyrgyzstan, which I suspected may hold the key. As part of a multidisciplinary team co-led by Maria Spyrou at the University of Tubingen, we have now investigated several specimens from individuals buried at that site – and come up with an answer. The idea that the Black Death originated in the east – territories overlapping, roughly speaking, Central Asia, Mongolia and China – dates back to the contemporaries of the pandemic in Europe and the Islamic world. The modern, academic Chinese origin theory dates back to at least 1756-8 and a publication about the history of Central Asia by French scholar Joseph de Guignes.
What is the theme of the passage?
Option 1: Pitfall of Black Death
Option 2: Impact of Black Death
Option 3: Origin of Black Death
Option 4: History of Black Death
Correct Answer: Origin of Black Death
Solution : The correct choice is the third option.
The passage primarily focuses on the mystery of the origin of the Black Death, discussing different proposals and theories, and introducing the findings of an investigation into a medieval cemetery in Kyrgyzstan that may hold the key to understanding where and when the Black Death originated.
Therefore, the appropriate theme of the passage is: Origin of Black Death.
Question : Comprehension:
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Indian mathematician Nikhil Srivastava, working at the University of California in Berkeley, is among the winners of the Prestigious 2021 Michael and Sheila Held Prize, announced last week by the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Adam W. Marcus, EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne), and Daniel Alan Spielman, Yale University, are the other two winners.
"Marcus, Spielman, and Srivastava solved longstanding questions on the Kadison-Singer problem and on Ramanujan graphs, and in the process, they uncovered a deep new connection between linear algebra, the geometry of polynomials, and graph theory that has inspired the next generation of theoretical computer scientists," the NAS said in a statement.
An Indian national, Nikhil was born in New Delhi in November 1983 and has attended educational institutions across the world—Syria, the UK, Saudi Arabia, and the US—as his father was an Indian Foreign Services officer, who has served as the Indian ambassador to Uganda and Denmark. At present, Nikhil is an associate professor of mathematics at UC Berkeley. The Michael and Sheila Held Prize is presented annually to honour outstanding, innovative, creative, and influential research in the area of combinatorial mathematics.
Question:
The Michael and Sheila Held Prize is presented:
Option 1: every two years to honour the best researchers in mathematics
Option 2: twice every year to honour young and influential researchers in mathematics
Option 3: every year to honour new thinking and research in a specific area of mathematics
Option 4: every year to honour those who solve longstanding problems in graph theory and linear algebra
Correct Answer: every year to honour new thinking and research in a specific area of mathematics
Solution : The correct choice is the third option.
As stated in the last line of the passage, the Michael and Sheila Held Prize is presented annually to honour outstanding, innovative, creative, and influential research in the area of combinatorial mathematics.
Therefore, the correct answer is: every year to honour new thinking and research in a specific area of mathematics.
Question : Comprehension:
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the question of where and when the Black Death, the deadliest pandemic ever, originated is one of the biggest mysteries in human history. After all, the Black Death was the first wave of the second plague pandemic of the 14th to early 19th centuries. It killed some 50-60% of the population in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and an unaccountable number of people in Central Asia. Different proposals, based on competing theories, have been put forward. But in 2017, I came across some records describing an intriguing medieval cemetery in Kara-Djigach, Chüy Valley, northern Kyrgyzstan, which I suspected may hold the key. As part of a multidisciplinary team co-led by Maria Spyrou at the University of Tubingen, we have now investigated several specimens from individuals buried at that site – and come up with an answer. The idea that the Black Death originated in the east – territories overlapping, roughly speaking, Central Asia, Mongolia and China – dates back to the contemporaries of the pandemic in Europe and the Islamic world. The modern, academic Chinese origin theory dates back to at least 1756-8 and a publication about the history of Central Asia by French scholar Joseph de Guignes.
How does the passage describe the Black Death?
Option 1: The first wave of the second plague pandemic
Option 2: The worst specimen of human created tragedy
Option 3: The specimen of human evolution and its evidence
Option 4: The initiator of all the future pandemics
Correct Answer: The first wave of the second plague pandemic
Solution : The correct choice is the first option.
The passage describes the Black Death as the first wave of the second plague pandemic. The passage specifically mentions that the Black Death was the first wave of the second plague pandemic of the 14th to early 19th centuries. It provides a historical context for the pandemic and its devastating impact on the population in various regions.
Therefore, the correct answer is: "The first wave of the second plague pandemic."
Question : Comprehension:
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Indian mathematician Nikhil Srivastava, working at the University of California in Berkeley, is among the winners of the Prestigious 2021 Michael and Sheila Held Prize, announced last week by the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Adam W. Marcus, EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne), and Daniel Alan Spielman, Yale University, are the other two winners.
"Marcus, Spielman, and Srivastava solved longstanding questions on the Kadison-Singer problem and on Ramanujan graphs, and in the process, they uncovered a deep new connection between linear algebra, the geometry of polynomials, and graph theory that has inspired the next generation of theoretical computer scientists," the NAS said in a statement.
An Indian national, Nikhil was born in New Delhi in November 1983 and has attended educational institutions across the world—Syria, the UK, Saudi Arabia, and the US—as his father was an Indian Foreign Services officer, who has served as the Indian ambassador to Uganda and Denmark. At present, Nikhil is an associate professor of mathematics at UC Berkeley. The Michael and Sheila Held Prize is presented annually to honour outstanding, innovative, creative, and influential research in the area of combinatorial mathematics.
Question:
In what way have the prize winners helped future theoretical computer scientists?
Option 1: They have found connections between algebra, geometry and computer science.
Option 2: They solved new problems in graph theory used in theoretical computer science.
Option 3: The new connection they have discovered has inspired future theoretical computer scientists.
Option 4: They have done innovative research on Ramanujan graphs and geometry of polynomials.
Correct Answer: The new connection they have discovered has inspired future theoretical computer scientists.
Solution : The correct choice is the third option.
As stated in the second paragraph, the NAS said they uncovered a deep new connection between linear algebra, the geometry of polynomials, and graph theory that has inspired the next generation of theoretical computer scientists.
Therefore, the correct answer is: The new connection they have discovered has inspired future theoretical computer scientists.
