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Table of Content

Comprehension-1………………………………………………………………2

Comprehension-2……………………………………………………………... 5

Comprehension-3……………………………………………………………... 7

Comprehension-4………………………………………………………………10

Comprehension-5………………………………………………………………12

Comprehension-6………………………………………………………………15

Comprehension-7………………………………………………………………19

Comprehension-8………………………………………………………………23

Comprehension-9………………………………………………………………26

Comprehension-10……………………………………………………………..30
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Reading Comprehension-1

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions below

Exactly 70 years ago, on August 6, 1945, at 08:15, a United States Air Force B-29 Super
fortress bomber, Enola Gay, dropped a 16 kiloton atomic bomb nicknamed “Little Boy” on
the city of Hiroshima in Japan.

Unlike most bombing campaigns, Little Boy was not targeting any sensitive industrial or military
infrastructure. Instead, it was dropped near the geographical centre of the city with the deliberate
aim to maximize Japanese civilian casualties.

In that it was successful; at least 70,000 perished almost instantaneously, being obliterated by the
detonation or burning to death in the fires that raged afterwards, while thousands more perished
in the weeks after the bomb due to the lingering effects of radiation poisoning.

By the end of 1945, the death toll had risen to about 140,000 and Hiroshima, and later Nagasaki,
once-modestly sized towns, were reduced to rubble and destined to be haunted by irregular levels
of radiation for decades to come.

Yet, 70 years later, there is still no apology from the United States for this horrific,
indiscriminate attack on civilian life.

The United States President at the time, Harry S. Truman, preferred to label the bomb as a
“marvel” and an “achievement of scientific brains” and considered the bombing as nothing more
than a repayment of debt for the Japanese attack on a military facility at Pearl Harbor.

Another more recent US President, George H.W. Bush, stated quite bluntly in 1991, “No
apology is required, and it will not be asked of this President, I can guarantee you.”

Even the supposedly revolutionary President, Barack Obama, has yet to give a formal apology
for the bombings.

Instead, a brief glance at the politics surrounding the Iran nuclear deal today, seven decades after
the atomic decimation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, reveals a case of bitter irony – a situation
where the United States, the only country in the world to have ever used an atomic bomb on a
civilian population, is trying to bully Iran into not developing nuclear weapons, the rationale
being that Iran could potentially use such a bomb on civilians.

The irony in this scenario would be a bit humorous if it were not so wrapped up in a power
structure in the world today, where possession of nuclear weapons is a privilege allowed only to
a select few countries which benefit from the prestige and defence offered by them.

These countries are the bullies of international security, the self-appointed protectors of the
world by virtue of their capability to cause immense harm to others, and the US, with its
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supremely sophisticated nuclear arsenal, is the undisputed leader and bully-in-chief of this group
of countries.

And so, as the world marks this 70th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, the US
juggernaut rolls on; the country that invented, used and advanced the threat of nuclear weapons
is still somehow being allowed to dictate the moral guidelines on the possession and use of
nuclear energy by other lesser, supposedly “evil” nations.

Q1.Atomic bombing of Hiroshima reveals America‘s double standard for all of the
following reasons EXCEPT:

(a) America claims to champion of human rights but she is the greatest violator of it
(b) America is the only country that has ever used atomic bomb
(c) Only President Obama has given an official apology
(d) America leads the movement of making world nuclear weapons free
Q2. USA justifies her use of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima BECAUSE: 2/

(a) USA considers that it caused no civilian damage

(b) USA considers that revenge has been taken
(c) Japanese people were cruel enough to killed
(d) Countries would be afraid of using nuclear weapons
Q3. Describe the destruction of Hiroshima caused by atomic bombing.2/

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Q4. All the countries should destroy their nuclear weapons. Do you agree? Give reasons.2/

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Q5. Identify the synonym of the word Detonation. 1/

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A. Lull
B. Respite
C. Explosion

Q6. Identify the antonym of the word Rubble. 1/

A. Neatness
B. Debris
C. Trash

Reading Comprehension-2

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions below

Two of the most neglected concepts in Pakistan are education and health, and this can be
seen in the amount of effort our government invests in these sectors. It may sound clichéd
to say that we shouldn’t blame the government for everything and that the responsibility
 5

also lies with us, but the fact remains that we do need to self-evaluate and work on our own
lacking as well. 
Education has never topped our priority list as a nation and it fails to receive the attention it truly
deserves. While the world is integrating the latest developments in all walks of life, we are still
dealing with the same old questions,
“Should I opt for science or arts for my matriculation?”

We, therefore, lack an understanding of the changes it’s undergoing around the world and, as a
result, are still stuck in the 19th century era, when it comes to schooling.

Unfortunately, Pakistan’s population grows rapidly but we have failed miserably when it comes
to growing in terms of resources, education, and standards of living. The number of children out
of school is so alarming – according to the official statistics, 6.2 million children are out of
school – that we should hang our heads in shame. Furthermore, those who are in school are not
necessarily receiving quality education either. That is probably because education, in its real
sense, does not exist here.
Since the past few years, there’s been an increase in the marks scored by our students in exams;
what is worrying, however, is that these individuals who master rote-learning everything in the
book are unable to enhance general knowledge. That’s why majority of the people lack in
everything other than scoring the so-called ‘aces’ in these exams.

If such grades are truly useful then why do we have a low number of achievers in extracurricular
activities? Why do these high-scoring individuals lack social and interpersonal skills? Is our
education system teaching us anything about community service? How many of these high-
scorers actually read books other than those mandatory at school or college?

The current education has changed to a great extent. It is, whether we admit it or not, influenced
by various external factors including (but not limited to) geopolitics, global security, media and
digital technologies, art and culture, the environment and even religion.

In the past few years, these factors have gained more importance than ever before, but does this
importance reflect our schooling and education?
Take the example of art – we still force our children to paint the sky blue, when children from
urban areas hardly see the blue sky. This is just a petty example of how we’re unable to evolve
our education system.

Having said that, it’s a fact that the foremost step towards solving a problem is to admit that
there is one. It’s about time we admit to ourselves that our education system is utterly out-dated.
We now need to start talking about developing the schools of tomorrow.

Hence, School of Tomorrow International Education and Cultural Festival taking place in
Karachi on November 28th and 29th is an effort towards understanding the flaws we have in our
current educational system. We need to explore the challenges that the education sector can face
in the future, and prepare accordingly. It is about time such efforts taking place and the reasons
stated above show just how much we need to support and appreciate these things. I, for one, am
truly looking forward to this event and hope that my generation sees the importance of attending
it too. 
 6

Q1. There are many schools in Pakistan, where education hardly exists BECAUSE 2/
(a) Teaches are absent
(b) Schools do not have buildings
(c) Quality Education is missing
(d) Students do not have text books

Q2. All are the flaws of education system of Pakistan EXCEPT: 2/

(a) Teachers are not well trained
(b) Education system is outdated
(c) It supports Urdu medium of instructions
(d) Education is neglected sector

Q3. Our education system supports cramming. Do you agree? State your opinion.2/
__________________________________________________________________________________
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Q4. How can we improve our education system? Give your suggestions.2/

__________________________________________________________________________________
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Q5. Identify the antonym of Integration. 1/
A. Mixing
B. Assimilation
C. Separation

Q6. Identify the synonym of clichéd. 1/

A. Original
B. New
C. Old

Reading Comprehension-3

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions below

One of the modern world’s intriguing sources of mystery has been aeroplanes vanishing in mid-
flight. One of the more famous of these was the disappearance in 1937 of a pioneer woman
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aviator, Amelia Earhart. On the second last stage of an attempted round the world flight, she had
radioed her position as she and her navigator searched desperately for their destination, a tiny
island in the Pacific.
The plane never arrived at Howland Island. Did it crash and sink after running out of fuel? It had
been a long haul from New Guinea, a twenty hour flight covering some four thousand
kilometres. Did Earhart have enough fuel to set down on some other island on her radioed
course? Or did she end up somewhere else altogether? One fanciful theory had her being
captured by the Japanese in the Marshall Islands and later executed as an American spy; another
had her living out her days under an assumed name as a housewife in New Jersey.
Seventy years after Earhart’s disappearance, ‘myth busters’ continue to search for her. She was
the best-known American woman pilot in the world. People were tracking her flight with great
interest when, suddenly, she vanished into thin air. Aircraft had developed rapidly in
sophistication after World War One, with the 1920s and 1930s marked by an aeronautical
record-setting frenzy. Conquest of the air had become a global obsession. While Earhart was
making headlines with her solo flights, other aviators like high-altitude pioneer Wiley Post and
industrialist Howard Hughes were grabbing some glory of their own. But only Earhart, the
reserved tomboy from Kansas who disappeared three weeks shy of her 40th birthday, still grips
the public imagination. Her disappearance has been the subject of at least fifty books, countless
magazine and newspaper articles, and TV documentaries. It is seen by journalists as the last great
American mystery.
There are currently two main theories about Amelia Earhart’s fate.
There were reports of distress calls from the Phoenix Islands made on Earhart’s radio frequency
for days after she vanished. Some say the plane could have broadcast only if it were on land, not
in the water. The Coast Guard and later the Navy, believing the distress calls were real, adjusted
their searches, and newspapers at the time reported Earhart and her navigator were marooned on
an island. No-one was able to trace the calls at the time, so whether Earhart was on land in the
Phoenix Islands or there was a hoaxer in the Phoenix Islands using her radio remains a mystery.
Others dismiss the radio calls as bogus and insist Earhart and her navigator ditched in the water.
An Earhart researcher, Elgen Long, claims that Earhart’s airplane ran out of gas within fifty-two
miles of the island and is sitting somewhere in a 6,000-square-mile area, at a depth of 17,000
feet. At that depth, the fuselage would still be in shiny, pristine condition if ever anyone were
able to locate it. It would not even be covered in a layer of silt. Those who subscribe to this
explanation claim that fuel calculations, radio calls and other considerations all show that the
plane plunged into the sea somewhere off Howland Island. Whatever the explanation, the
prospect of finding the remains is unsettling to many. To recover skeletal remains or personal
effects would be a grisly experience and an intrusion. They want to know where Amelia Earhart
is, but that’s as far as they would like to go. As one investigator has put it, “I’m convinced that
the mystery is part of what keeps us interested. In part, we remember her because she’s our
favourite missing person.”

Q1. Amelia Earhart’s nationality was:

A: English B: Australian C: Canadian D: American E: South African

Q2 The synonym of haul is

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A. Rebuff
B. Reject
C. Drag

Q3. The antonym of marooned is

A. Accompanied
B. Isolated
C. Set apart

Q4. The synonym of pristine is

A. Impure
B. Dirty
C. Clean

Q5. The synonym of grisly is

Grim
Attractive
Beautiful

Q6. All the following are theories about Amelia’s fate EXCEPT: (2)
A. she crashed on a remote island somewhere near her destination.
B. her plane ran out of fuel and crashed into the sea.
C. she was captured by the Japanese and executed as a spy.
D. she escaped incognito and lived under an assumed name.
E. she crashed somewhere on Howland Island.

Q7. The most convincing evidence that Amelia crashed somewhere on land was: (2)
A: the finding of aircraft remains.
B: sightings by islanders.
C: radio contact with the coastguard from the Phoenix Islands.
D: distress signals from the Phoenix Islands on her particular radio frequency.
E: All of these.

Q8. If the aircraft were ever recovered from its probable sea grave:
A: it would be hardly recognizable.
B: it would be in pristine condition and considered highly valuable.
C: it may reveal some grisly evidence.
D: A and C together.
E: B and C together.

Q9. The fate of Amelia Earhart still fascinates investigators for all the following reasons
EXCEPT:
A: she was a famous female aviator and adventurer.
B: there are such conflicting theories about her disappearance.
C: she was so close to the end of her journey.
D: she may have staged her own disappearance.
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E: she presents one of the twentieth century’s great unsolved mysteries.

Q10. What does this sentence suggest? “You cannot be a hero without being a coward”.

A: Heroes are transformed cowards.

B: To be truly heroic, you first have to know the meaning of fear.
C: Heroes are cowards in disguise.
D: You can never be one or the other; it is always a combination of both.
E: None of these.

Reading Comprehension-4

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions below

This simmering undercurrent of fascism is extremely worrying and it’s led to many sleepless
nights here.
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There is no freedom of speech in India, it’s a myth. If there was any such thing, rationalists like
MM Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare would not have been killed for their
intellectually stimulating writings.

People are, however, free to pull punches and call each other names, give hate speeches, resort to
abusive language, demolish places of worship, plant bombs, stoke up communal tensions, and
murder rationalists like MM Kalburgi. People even have the audacity to ignore the issue of
the farmers’ suicides.
What is even more disturbing is the state’s silence and failure to bring the culprits to book.

People have every right to disagree with these rationalists on issues they were raising and debate
and protest in a civilised way. But how can they just bump off someone for his or her ideas?

Intellectual levels cannot be the same for everyone, for we are what we read. The more you read,
the more it broadens your mind-set. No society, sect or country in this world is perfect, for
remember, they were made by man. It was man, who built caste system, it was he who formed
nations, and it was he who built nuclear bombs.

With time we evolve, for change is the only constant thing in the world. India is not perfect.
Pakistan is not perfect. Humanity will find a way.

How can man-made things be perfect? If that is not the case, why can’t they be evaluated and
analyzed critically? It is a pity while good people are being killed for merely writing blogs,
books, and defending human rights, bigots who promote hatred and commit murders go on to
enjoy a high status in life. Isn’t it a matter of great regret that those who killed Mahatma Gandhi,
a wonderful human being, rule the roost in India today?

Q1. What kind of India, do these extremists want to build by eliminating its best minds and
critical thinkers? (Encircle the correct option)

A. Democratic state
B. Peaceful state
C. Fascist state
D. Religious state

Q2. . Extremism in India: is it myth or reality? Discuss.2/

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Q3. Why is Indian State silent on these acts of extremism? 2/

______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Q4. What does writer means by freedom of speech?

______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________

Q5. Identify the synonym of the word Fascism 1/

A. Oppression
B. Peace
C. Democracy

Q6. Identify the antonym of the word Demolish 1/

A. Destroy
B. Ruin
C. Build

Reading Comprehension-5

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions below

I was not at all surprised that your party, Bharatiya Janata Party (the BJP), swept the recent Uttar
Pradesh (UP) elections. You ran your campaign on an anti-Muslim platform, you convinced
most of the UP Hindus that Muslims in their state are Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agents and
that Muslims would not vote for your party, therefore they voted en masse for BJP.
 12

In fact, to appear anti-Muslim, you did not field a single Muslim candidate despite the notion that
there are more than 40 million Muslims in UP! So, in spite of the Muslim population of UP
being over 20% of the total population, the new UP assembly will have only 25 Muslims (only
6% of the total), the lowest ever. And the credit for all this goes to you, Mr Modi.

But why should we be surprised?

It was in your state of Gujrat (when you were the chief minister) that the genocide of over 2,000
Muslims took place. As hooligans wrenched open the bellies of pregnant Muslim women and fed
the fetuses to dogs, you watched silently, even though you could have prevented the massacre.

But why should you have done anything to stop the killings, Mr Modi?

The Hindu vote was important for your party and the destruction of the Babri Mosque helped
your party become popular. Your men destroyed five hundred mosques and shrines of Muslim
saints while the slaughter of Muslim men, women and children was being carried out in your
state in 2002. And you cannot deny that it was your blatant anti-Muslim agenda that helped your
party win the national elections in 2014.

You have never faced a mob of killers, have you Mr Modi?

My parents did; in 1947, when they had to flee to Pakistan from your state to save themselves
from the followers of another rabid Hindu leader (Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel). I shall never forget
how, for many years after the event, my mother would break down in tears as she told us about
the thousands of dead Muslim men and women she saw as she and my father trudged their way
to safety in the new country.

Mr Modi, I sometimes hear Pakistani and Indian Muslims claim that if India had remained
united, and partition had not taken place, Muslims would have been a force to reckon with in a
united India. They do not know that if Pakistan had not been created, the percentage of Muslims
in a united India would have been, at the most, 30%. And even though the Muslim population in
India today is 15% of the total, their representation in the Lok Sabha is only 4%. In fact,
Muslims would have been a powerless group in a united India, the same way Muslims there
today have no clout.

Just in case you are tempted to think that Muslims voted for you, think again. The Muslim vote
was split between Congress, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
parties. If you think Muslim women voted for BJP due to your campaign against ‘triple talaq’,
you’re wrong. You won because the Muslim vote was split, and next time it won’t be so easy, as
Muslims will continue to live in fear of being killed as long as you are the prime minister. Next
time, they will be united to ensure that the BJP does not win.

No, Mr Modi, if 600 million Indians (including Hindus) continue to live below the poverty line,
you will not be able to win the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. Ultimately, Hindus will realise that
there is no possibility of improvement in their lives under the BJP government and they will vote
 13

your party out. It is good governance that wins elections, Mr Modi, not terrorising Muslims and
treating them as pariahs.

And this is why Mr Jinnah wanted a separate country for India’s Muslims, because he knew that
in a united India, Muslims would have practically no rights. He knew that they would have been
in danger of being massacred, which has repeatedly been proved by Gujrat’s Muslims and those
that are being killed in hundreds of communal riots in India.

So, Mr Modi thank you for proving that Partition saved the subcontinent’s Muslims from
extinction!

Q1. According to writer, Modi would win election of 2018, on the basis of

A. Muslim killings

B. Anti-Muslim agenda

C. Good governance

D. All of them

Q2. Evidence of Modi being an anti- Muslim is that

A. He is against Pakistan

B. He is a prime minister of India

C. He was chief minister of the state when Muslim genocide occurred there

D. None of them

Q3. What would happen if partition had not taken place?

A. Muslims would have ruled India

B. Muslims would have been a powerless group

C. Hindus would have been a powerful group

D. Both B & C

Q4. What did help Modi to win the election?

A. Pro-muslim agenda
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B. Anti- muslim agenda

C. Both A & B

D. None of these

Q5. The synonym of extinction is

A. Protection

B. Preservation

C. Destruction

D. Re-creation

Q6. The synonym of pariah is

A. Accepted

B. Rejected

C. Insider

D. All of them

Q7. The antonym of massacre is

A. Killing

B. Slaughter

C. Bloodshed

D. Salvation

Q8. The antonym of Reckon is

A. Calculate

B. Mistrust

C. Judge

D. Measure
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Reading Comprehension-6

By Muhammad Hamid Zaman, Published: March 14, 2017

The last week was packed with goodies and three independent, yet still connected events
bookmarked the week. In our busy lives, where we live in the world of acronyms and
abbreviations, the week had PSL, SDGs and STEM, and the thread connecting the three also had
a message of hope for our future.

I will come to PSL part towards the end, but the week started with a national discourse on the
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Islamabad. The UN SDGs are a list of 17 goals
that each UN member has agreed on to achieve by 2030. From improvement in environment to
equity in access of basic health and education services, the goals are rich, detailed and chart a
path to sustainable development. The two-day meeting, that included some of the most serious
thinkers in health and education in Pakistan, tried to identify how our next 15 years ought to be
better than our previous 15. It asked pointed and difficult questions about why the children living
in some of the most fertile regions of Pakistan are malnourished, why Pakistan continues to lag
behind its neighbours in access to basic health services and why the rates of non-communicable
diseases are among the highest in the world. The meeting had a flavour of reflection, not of
blame. The two-day meeting also talked about something that is both obvious and largely
underappreciated. It highlighted that our path to sustainable development is unimaginable
without rigorous research, robust academia and a clear strategy to strengthen the pipeline of
 16

inquiry and impact. Science education and awareness is not just the pre-requisite for achieving
SDGs, it is the only viable avenue to reach them.

This takes me to the second major development of the last week. Pakistan Alliance for
Mathematics and Science, with the help of Alif Ailaan, launched their third and final volume on
the state of Math and Science education in the country. The third volume identifies the road
ahead, with its perils and promise. The polished report, with detailed data at the national and
regional level makes a clear case for how to improve our education system, how to fix our
schools, how to recruit, train and retain better teachers and how to ensure quality education for
all, including those who, because of their disabilities, are often ignored in national discourse on
education. The report articulates why we ought to create the office of chief scientist and outlines
specific, tangible and achievable goals for federal and provincial governments to increase
science awareness, science literacy and sustainability of our educational infrastructure. While the
two events, the SDG meeting and the Science and Mathematics report, were independent they
both showed that status quo should no longer be acceptable. Yet, they also showed that the future
can be, and must be, brighter than the present.

This takes me to PSL. You should ask, what does any of this have to do with PSL? The PSL final
in Lahore was sign of our willingness to act. When there is a clear will to make something
happen among those in power, it does happen. I am not debating whether the PSL final should
have happened in Lahore or not, all I am arguing is that even when the odds are not great, and
the dream is elusive, a steely commitment from the political leadership is able to deliver a
product, and deliver it well. Even when the naysayers said it couldn’t be done, it worked like
clockwork. The PSL final was in response to the demand of cricket in the country, a hunger for
change and a willingness to commit the necessary resources from the government.

A persistent demand for better health and an insatiable appetite among all for stronger system of
education is all we need. The day we are able to truly convince those in the corridors of power to
commit real resources to health and education, we will start to live in a different Pakistan.

Reference: https://tribune.com.pk/story/1354351/sdg-stem-psl/

Questions:
 17

Choose the best option.

1. What is the meaning of the word goodies according to the first line of the article?
a. Good news
b. Good loss
c. Only a
d. Only b

2. What does the word discourse means in the following line “I will come to PSL part towards
the end, but the week started with a national discourse on the UN Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) in Islamabad.”

a. Decision
b. Dialogue
c. Resolution
d. None of the above

3. Which is the suitable synonym for the word rigorous?

a. Meticulous
b. Indefinite
c. Unscrupulous
d. Crooked

4. Which is the suitable antonym for the word robust?

a. Fragile
b. Lethargic
c. wobbly
d. All of the above

5. Which is the suitable antonym for the word perils?

a. Hazards
 18

b. Threats
c. Certainty
d. Both a and b

6. The SDG meeting and the Science and Mathematics report created…

a. Pessimism
b. Gloominess
c. Hope for future
d. None of the above.

7. In our busy lives, where we live in the world of acronyms and abbreviations, the week had
PSL, SDGs and STEM, and the thread connecting the three also had a message of hope for our
future means?

a. Something tedious was happening

b. Some massive thing is pending
c. Something good had happened
d. None of the above

8. How we will start to live in a different Pakistan?

a. By improving our educational system

b. By improving health facilities
c. By convincing higher-ups for assigning real resources
d. All of the above

9. What are the three events the writer has talked about in the article above?

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______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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Reading Comprehension-7

The Nation, Mohsin Ali, Islamabad, 14 May 2016

ISLAMABAD - Farhan Zaman and Tayyab Aslam helped Pakistan reach the semifinals of the
18th Asian Senior Squash Team Championship 2016, as defending champions thrashed Iraq in
the quarterfinals played in Chinese Taipei on Friday.

As per expectations, mighty Pakistan was too for minnows Iraq. They had passed easy tests, and
now comes one of the biggest obstacles in the shape of India in the semifinals. Although Indians
are relatively very weak in the absence of Mahesh and Saurav Ghosal, yet they are still a force to
reckon with as they have the likes of Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu and young gun Kush Kumar,
who can create troubles for the holders. Top seeds Hong Kong have to face Japan in the second
semifinal, after both registered victories in the quarterfinals against their respective opponents.
Pakistan outclassed Iraq 2-0.

Pakistan top squash player Farhan Zaman in the absence of Nasir Iqbal shouldered the lime share
of responsibility, while veteran Farhan Mehboob, Tayyab Aslam and Israr are also there to
steady the ship. Farhan Zaman started quarterfinals against Iraqi Husham Abdulkareem Sabeeh
Al-Saadi and faced some resistance in the first game as both the players gave their best and the
game kept on swinging from one way to another, but Farhan then used his international
experience and took the game 12-10. After playing such tough and competitive squash in the first
game, Husham ran out of gas and was simply a silent spectator in the second game as Zaman
was just toying with Husham and later, comfortably took the second game 11-5. After playing so
well in the second game, Zaman, like he had developed a habit of taking things casually, allowed
 20

Hasham too much liberty and space, and the Iraqi took full advantage of the Zaman’s lenient
approach, which almost cost him dearly. Had he not changed gears and woke up early, he could
have easily lost the third game, as Hasham was leading 7-3, but Zaman played highly aggressive
game and first leveled the score at 7-7 and then went onto take the game 11-8, thus gave Pakistan
1-0 lead.

Tayyaz Aslam was given nod of approval ahead of Israr and Farhan Mehboob for the second and
most crucial match against M Ferman Hasan. Tayyab played superb squash in the first game and
outclassed Hasan winning the game 11-1. But it was completely different Hasan in the second
game, who dictated terms in the entire game but it was good luck of Tayyab that Hasan made
some crucial blunders which cost him dearly; otherwise, he could have won the second game
easily. Tayyab was trailing in the entire game, but he kept his composure and took the game 13-
11. Same was the case in the third game, as Hasan played out his heart and gave Tayyab real run
for his money before going down fighting 11-9.

Pakistan’s most experienced player Farhan Mehboob was set to play the third match, but Iraq
withdrew Rasool Hashim Abdullah Al-Sultani as it was dead rubber and had no impact on
overall standings.

Pakistan will take on archrivals India in the semifinals today (Saturday). Although Pakistan had
the advantage on the rivals in the absence of key Indian players, yet Farhan Zaman, Farhan
Mehboob and Tayyab or Isar had to play very sensibly and should not allow them any second
invitations as they are more than capable of beating any given side just like they did to Malaysia
in the quarterfinals.

Reference: http://nation.com.pk/E-Paper/Lahore/2016-05-14/page-17/detail-5

Choose the best option.

1. Which is the suitable synonym for the word thrashed

a) Defeated
b) Cheered
 21

c) Encouraged

2. Which is the suitable synonym for the word reckon

a) Subtract
b) Displace
c) Look upon

3. Which is the suitable antonym for the word veteran

a) Skilled
b) Trained
c) Amateur

4. Which is the suitable antonym for the word toying

a) Fooling
b) Fiddling
c) Worked

5. Which is the suitable synonym for the word shouldered

a) Snubbed
b) Accepted
c) Refused

6. Choose a suitable title for the article

a. Pakistan reach Asian Senior Squash Semis

b. Pakistan won over Asian Senior Squash Semis
c. Pakistan’s victory in Asian Senior Squash Finals
d. None of the above

7. According to the third paragraph of the article, what does steady the ship means?
 22

a. To secure the game

b. To take the game on
c. To fix the game
d. All of the above

8. According to the fourth paragraph, what was the good luck of Tayyab?

a. Hasan did some crucial gaffes

b. Hasan did some trivial blunders
c. Hasan did some minor errors
d. All of the above

9. According to the second last paragraph of the article, what does dead rubber means?

a. A match in a series where the result has been already announced

b. A match in a series where the result has already been resolute by later matches.
c. All of the above.
d. A match in a series where the series result has already been decided by earlier matches.

10. According to the last paragraph, why Pakistan had the advantage?

a. Because of the dearth of pivotal Indian players

b. Because of the accessibility of fundamental Indian players
c. Because of the shortage of trivial Indian players
d. All of the above
 23

Reading Comprehension-8

Cheating has become out-seen phenomenon of all the examinations being held under public
sector institutions; however some complaints have also read out regarding cheating in the
examination being supervised by the private sector. Cheating is unlawful and unethical means of
passing the examination as it snatches the essence of all those students who do resort to cheating.
It must be remembered that essence is of great importance because without essence the other
integrated part is worthless. The body’s essence is soul and without soul body is dead. The
essence of man’s activities is the target or destination and without target activity of man is
useless. For example, if a rational man has got all his targets and if there is no target and purpose
of his life, certainly he becomes deeply bore and there will be no charm in his life – at last he
shall want to be dying. The essence of success in the examination is study, research and efforts
and success in the examination without essence, does not give true and outreach happiness. The
essence of doomsday award is faith, assurance and good deeds and without them man cannot
succeed in the Day-after too.

Again, the essence of worldly knowledge and materials is research, efforts and labor and if
anything is got from a man through un-lawful means or without labor and research, then it will
not give true happiness to the man although the materials and achievement are with him because
no essence will be existed in his achievements / success. Cheating is destroying the essence of all
those students’ community who do resort to it, although they get degrees / certificates but
without the essence. Due to incapability, they face much inconvenience in practical life as
generally corporate sector does not accept them also and it is also not ready to accommodate
 24

them. They are also not welcomed by foreign universities as they have to undergo their
competitive and professional tests, but usually they have never qualified their tests. Further, it
has been witnessed that institutions, even stable organizations collapse if their majority
workforces are without essence.

In order to save the essence, all students and builders of the future are advised not to resort to
cheating or un-lawful means in any circumstance and try to pass the examination through their
efforts, labor and research also endeavor their best to get all things through lawful means so that
their essence should remain in sustainable state and they could not be ashamed in practical life.

Resource: http://www.hamariweb.com/articles/article.aspx?id=85388

Questions
1. Choose the best title for the above article
a. Essence of Success
b. Power over Knowledge
c. Only a
d. Only b

2. “Cheating has become out-seen phenomenon” means

a. Deceitfulness has become common
b. Cheating has become rare
c. Only b
d. All of the above

3. Choose the best synonym for the word phenomenon

a. Occurrence
b. Practice
c. Fact
d. All of the above

4. Choose the best synonym for the word essence

 25

a. Spirit
b. Core
c. Both a and b
d. None of the above

5. Choose the best antonym for the word rational

a. Confused
b. Normal
c. Balanced
d. None of the above
6. Choose the best antonym for the word endeavor
a. Try
b. Attempt
c. Neglect
d. None of the above
7. This article talks about
a. Knowledge over Power
b. Hard work over Cheating
c. Only a
d. Both a and b

8. What do the last paragraph of the article means

a. Avoid cheating only
b. Stay away from cheating for successful life
c. Only a
d. None of the above

9. According to the article, why some students are not successful in their practical life?
 26

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Reading Comprehension-9

By Kamal Siddiqi, Published: March 13, 2017

In a surprise development on Sunday, the government announced the holding of a long overdue
census. This census, if not postponed, will be conducted after a gap of nearly 20 years. In the
past, political and other compulsions have forced successive governments to postponing this vital
exercise. Today we cannot tell for sure how many Pakistanis there are – let alone what their age,
sex or location is.

But it now seems that the Sharif government means business. What is interesting is that the
census will start from March 15, which is a few days away. Do we have enough time? Are we
prepared for the exercise we are about to undertake?

This will be Pakistan’s sixth housing and population census and it will continue till May 25.
Needless to say, this head-counting will have far-reaching implications for both resource
distribution as well as political representation in the country.

The army will take part. It is believed that this will help maintain some order in what is
otherwise a confusing and logistically near-impossible exercise.
 27

Mindful of the task ahead, state minister of information Merriyum Aurangzeb has said that the
census will be conducted in two phases, with the first phase stretching from March 15 to April
15, followed by a 10 day break, after which the second phase will go on until May 25. Over
200,000 troops will be involved in the counting.

The good news is that this time the census will include disabled people under a separate count
and also count transgenders – till now not counted in any census.

The challenge of course will be to ensure that not only do people report correctly but that those
who are collecting the information do so in a clear and transparent manner. Various countries
have devised different ways to counter bias and mis-declaration: in one instance, people were
expected to stand outside their houses at a certain time on a certain day and pictures were taken
by satellite to ensure accuracy.

We are expecting a number of surprises when the results come in for example, male to female
ratio in the country. More important, how many people are under 25. It is believed that Pakistan
has one of the largest populations of under-25s. One would be interested to also know the urban-
rural divide. The ratio, it is believed, has tilted in favour of urban areas as millions have migrated
to cities over the years.

Pakistan’s cities will be another area of interest. While Karachi may remain the country’s largest
and Lahore the second, will it be Faisalabad or Hyderabad which will be the third largest city in
Pakistan? How many towns have turned into cities? The biggest question, of course, will be
which Pakistan’s second most populous province is and in what order do the others follow?

Another tricky question relates to Balochistan where there is a controversy over which ethnic
group is larger in number.

A census is important for a number of reasons. To begin with, we will have to see how resource
allocation will change. The share that the federal government gives to each province depends on
the number of people that live in that province. That is expected to change.
 28

Then there is the issue of government jobs. With the controversial quota system in place, one
province has managed to reap most of the government jobs in the country over the past five
decades. If a proper census is conducted, this will also change.

And then there is the issue of political representation. Over the years, with population shifts, it is
believed that electoral constituencies need to be redrawn. Smaller provinces will need to have
more representation at the centre. And this will only be possible if an accurate count is done.

Census are interesting times. In some countries, the movement of people is restricted when
counting is done in their areas. In others we have seen governments restricting the entry and exit
of people from the country.

In the case of Pakistan, another issue will be the large number of refugees and undocumented
persons. It is hoped some system is in place to count them as well. In conclusion, the coming
months will be an interesting time for Pakistan. Finally we may be able to know how our country
has changed in terms of its people.

Reference: https://tribune.com.pk/story/1353616/the-big-count/

1. According to the first line of the article, what is the meaning of the word overdue?
a. Unsettled
b. Late
c. Past due
d. All of the above

2. Which word can replace the word logistically in the fourth paragraph?
a. Strategically
b. Apriority
c. Generally
d. All of the above
 29

3. Choose the best synonym for the word Mindful?

a. Aware
b. Watchful
c. Indiscreet
d. Both a and b

4. Choose the best synonym for the word reap?

a. Forfeit
b. Derive
c. Relinquish
d. All of the above
5. Choose a suitable title for the article?
a. Census for waywardness
b. Cosmopolitan Census
c. The big count
d. None of the above
6. What sorts of changes are expected after the census?
a. Allotment of government jobs
b. Retention of resources
c. Reprehensible political representation
d. All of the above
7. First paragraph is making background for…
a. Something which was not addressed before
b. Something deadly
c. Only b
d. None of the above
8. What’s new in the census this time?
a. Census will be lagged
b. Disabled and Trangenders will be included
c. Census will be vigilantly deferred
d. All of the above
 30

9. What sorts of surprises are expected out of the result of census? State any two.

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Reading Comprehension-10

Submitted by Edutech on April 17, 2015

There were times when academic institutes used to go with traditional methods of school
administration but that has started to change. Cloud-based technology has entered the world of
education making school management fast, convenient and effective for all academic institutes
thriving to flourish in the education industry.

It’s a huge responsibility for any school admin to maintain the school’s overall productivity.
Everything in an academic institute is inter-linked. If schools and colleges have a well-organized
administration system, the teaching staff won’t have to be bogged down with hectic work
schedules. This will automatically improve the student’s productivity to a greater extent.

All schools and colleges no matter what size or academic curriculum have to manage and control
multiple areas such as student attendance, enrolment, examination, accounts and so on. In order
to organize all such departments, the admin feels the need to bring cloud-based technology into
the system. It not just improves the entire administration system, but also saves the admin a
fortune.
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Students and teachers are the most important asset of any academic institute. Good teaching staff
helps maintain a better learning environment which improves the student productivity in the long
run. That is why schools have started to take extreme measures regarding administration.
Admins have realized that the administration network of any school works as a foundation and if
the foundation is weak, the entire academic institute may end up collapsing.

How Is Cloud-Based Technology And Education Gelling Together Effectively?

As mentioned above, student productivity depends on the quality of teaching and the quality of
teaching can only improve if the teaching staff is being provided with stress-free working
environment. Online school management software has not just given schools and colleges a tech-
savvy look, but has also simplified most of the procedures with complete effectiveness.

Student archiving has become very fast and easy. Procedures that used to take hours or days can
now be completed in just a few minutes. School admins don’t have to rely on excel sheets or
piles of paper in order to locate important academic information. All academic and financial
records are just a few clicks away. Besides from viewing records, academic institutes can also
have the ease to immediately print all kinds of reports and summaries.

Maintaining a well-organized communication network used to be a huge problem for many

schools and colleges across the education industry. Cloud-based technology has made it easier
for school admins to connect with teachers, parents and students on a daily basis. Academic
institutes don’t have to rely on emails, telephone calls or costly postal services because the
internet portal and fee SMS service is there to circulate all kinds of school notices, exam
schedules, news alerts and so on.

Technology can be seen everywhere these days. If it is helping people at homes, offices or
departments stores, then why not school? Keeping this statement in mind, many academic
institutes have transformed the way they run their system. Cloud-based technology has not just
organized the entire school network, but has also improved the overall student productivity.
 32

Q. 1 Choose the best option.

1. Which is the suitable synonym for the word thriving

a. Striving
b. Failing
c. Fading
d. None of the above

2. Which is the suitable synonym for the word flourish

a. Prosper
b. Drown
c. Obscure
d. Only a and b

3. Which is the suitable antonym for the word hectic

a. Calm
b. Active
c. Exhaustive
d. None of the above

4. Which is the suitable antonym for the word collapsing?

a. Flourishing
b. Falling
c. Declining
d. All of the above

5. Which is the suitable synonym for the word asset?

a. Treasure
b. Loss
c. Hindrance
 33

d. Only b and c

6. “There were times when academic institutes used to go with traditional methods of school
administration but that has started to change”. According to the above line, which part of speech
does the bold word belong?

a. Noun
b. Verb
c. Adjective
d. All of the above

7. Cloud-based technology has not just organized the entire school network, but has also
improved the overall student productivity. According to the above line, which part of speech
does the bold word belong?

a. Noun
b. Verb
c. Adjective
d. None of the above

8. Maintaining a well-organized communication network used to be a huge problem for many

schools and colleges across the education industry. According to the above line, which part of
speech does the bold word belong?

a. Noun
b. Preposition
c. Adjective
d. All of the above

9. Choose the best title for the article

a. Education and its importance

 34

b. Education and Cloud based Technology

c. Education and shaping society
d. Only a and c

10. What does the third paragraph of the article explains

a. Importance of cloud based system

b. Importance of admin
c. Importance of school management
d. All of the above

Q. 11 How cloud based system can ease the life of an educational institute?

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