FEDERAL PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION FOR RECRUITMENT TO POSTS IN BPS-17 UNDER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, 1996 ENGLISH (Précis and Composition)
Time allowed: 3 hours Maximum marks: 100
Q1. Make a Précis of the following passage about one-third of its length and suggest a suitable title. (25)
Along with the new revelations of science and psychology, there have also occurred distortions of what is being discovered. -Most of the scientists and psychologists have accepted Darwin’s theory of evolution and his observations on “survival of the fittest” as a final word. While enunciating his-postulate on the concept of the fittest, Darwin primarily projected physical force as the main criterion and remained unmindful of the culture of the mind, The psychologist, on the other hand, in his exclusive involvement with the psyche, has overlooked the potential of man’s physical-self and the world outside him. No synthesis has been attempted between the two with the obvious result of the one being sacrificed at the altar of the other. This has given birth to a civilization which is wholly based on economic considerations, transforming man into a mere “economic being” and limiting, his pleasures and sorrows to sensuous cravings. With the force of his craft and guns, this man of the modern world gave birth to two cannibalistic philosophies, the cunning capitalism and the callous communism. They joined hands to block the evolution of man as a cultural entity, denuding him of the feelings of love, sympathy, and humanness. Technologically, man is immensely powerful; culturally, he is the creature ‘of stoneage, as lustful as ever, and equally ignorant of his destiny. The two world wars and the resultant attitudes display harrowing distortion of the purposes of life and power. In this agonizing situation the Scientist is harnessing forces of nature, placing them at the feet of his country’s leaders, to be used against people in other parts of the world. This state of his servility makes the functions of the scientist appear merely to push humanity to a state of perpetual fear, and lead man to the inevitable destruction as a species with his own inventions and achievements. This irrational situation raises many questions. They concern the role of a scientist, the function of religion, the conduct of a politician who is directing the course 5f history, and the future role of man as a species. There is obvious mutilation of the purpose of creation, and the relationship between Cosmos, Life, and Man is hidden from eyes; they have not been viewed collectively.
Q2. Read the following passages and answer the questions given at the end in your own words. (20)
“In countless other places, companies locating overseas are causing environmental harm. Japan has come in for heavy criticism from environmentalists in Southeast Asia for allegedly locating extremely harmful processes abroad because they no longer can pass environmental muster at home. A Malaysian subsidiary of the Mitsubishi Kasei Corp. was forced by court order to close after years of Protests by local residents that the plant’s dumping of radioactive thorium was to blame for unusually high leukemia rates in the region. Several multinational corporations operating in South Africa, including local subsidiaries of the Bayer Pharmaceuticals concern and a Duracell battery plant, have been implicated by local environmentalists in toxic catastrophes that they believe have caused cancer and other severe health problems among workers. Despite the threats, international markets also help diffuse many environmentally helpful products around the world. Trade in pollution control technologies is on the rise, particularly as environmental laws are strengthened in developing countries. International trade also can put pressure on companies to match the environmental immolations of their international competitors, as in the U.S. Car industry’s response to Japan’s advances in fuel efficiency. Meanwhile, there are indications that, contrary to some people’s expectations, being open to foreign investment can help prevent the caution of pollution havens rather than cause them. Research by Nancy Birds all and David Wheeler of the World Bank found that dirty industries developed faster in Latin American economies relatively inhospitable to foreign investment than in open ones. Another World Bank study looked at the rates at which 60 different countries its way to nations open to foreign investment far more rapidly than those closed toll The authors of these studies suggest several possible explanations for such trends. For one, closed economies protect capital ———- Intensive, pollution-intensive industries in situations where low-cost labor otherwise would have been a draw to less polluting industries, Second, companies trying to sell their goods in industrial countries need to please the growing number of “green consumers” there. Finally, the equipment used by multinational tend on balance to be newer and cleaner than that employed by national industries.
(a) Why is Japan under heavy criticism?
(b) What did the court decree in Malaysia? and why?
(c ) How does a certain industry cause cancer to the local resident?
(d) What could be the role of international markets in controlling pollution?
(e) What is a “pollution-haven”?
(f) What does the research by Nancy Birds all and David Wheeler say?
(g) What does “the other study” by World Bank reveal?
(h) Who is a “green consumer”?
(i) How do you explain capital-intensive” and “pollution-intensive”?
(j) How can we save the local residents from the pollution hazards?
Q3. Write a comprehensive note of approximately 250 words on ONE of the following subjects: (25)
(a) Religion is the greatest benefactor of human race;
(b) The devotional believers coin baseless stories about their gurus;
(c ) And when I love thee not chaos 13 come again;
(d) Every system of government emerges from its economic system;
(e) Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
Q4. Correct the following sentences: (10)
(a) When public transport is better developed, there will no longer be so many cars driving people to work.
(b) The subject of my paper-is about-air pollution;
(c ) The princess’s father was-a good man and who was kind;
(d) A morality play is where the characters represents virtue and vices;
(e) A-square is when all four sides are the same length;
(f) Evil and suffering has always troubled man;
(g) Why does such disturbing things exist?’
(h) Neither her cousins nor her aunt were at home;
(i) Neither Tariq nor Khalid are worthy of her;
(j) The first fleet of cars were made of copper;
(k) To be honest lies must never be told
Q5. Explain FIVE of the following idioms by using them into sentences: (10)
Bear out, Back out, Carry over, Come off, Fall back, Figure out, Live with, Set in, Cover up, Iron out
Q6. Use FIVE of the following pairs of words or phrases into- sentences so, that the difference in the meaning of each pair is made clear:- (10)
(i) altogether, all together (ii) ambiguous, ambivalent; (iii) apprise, appraise; (iv) bad, badly; (v) compare, contrast; (vi) deduce, imply; (vii) differ from; differ with; (viii)) farther, further.