Explore topic-wise InterviewSolutions in Current Affairs.

The process of reuse is better than recycling because more energy is used to recycle old  objects but no energy is required during reuse.

Yes, water conservation is very necessary because it meets the basic necessities for all forms of life like human beings, animals and plants.

Reuse is better than recycle as it saves energy.

The total amount of fresh water is more than enough to meet the needs of human beings. But its uneven distribution, wide seasonal as well as yearly fluctuation in rainfalls and water shortage are chronic problems in most parts of the world.

(a) CFC’s (chlorofluorocarbon)

(a) Preservation of biodiversity. 

(b) Forest products 

Reasons for depletion : 

(a) Indiscriminate failing of trees. 

(b) Destroying biodiversity to produce one particular kind of trees.

Sustainable development is the development which can be maintained for a long time without undue damage to the environment. Ways to achieve sustainable development are to plant more trees. Recycling needs additional energy to make a usable item. Reuse does not require additional energy and hence is better than recycling.

A type of management which encourages utilization of resources that meet current basic human needs while preserving the resources for the needs of future generations is called sustainable management.
Reuse is better as it does not consume energy.

Water and forest.

1. d. All of the above

2. d. All of the above

3. c. Both A and B

4. a. To preserve wetlands

5. d. All of the above

Reuse is better because recycling needs extra energy. 

E.g., the glass containers in which we get jam, pickles etc., can be reused at home to keep kitchen stuff but if it goes for recycling then lot of energy and money is spent on recycling it and getting a new bottle.

Correct answer is (a) Vidyasagar

In the Western world, secularism means the process by which the influence of religions is reduced. Supporters of modernism believe that the influence of religion is getting less in modern societies. The indicators of secularism are people’s distancing themselves from religious institutions (like not going to church or temple), the fall in the influence of religious organizations in social and material thinking of people and people becoming less faithful in their beliefs. But somehow there are terrible religious clashes in many parts of the world. The feeling that the growth of modernity will reduce the influence of religion on people exited long ago. But this is not fully right.

Western and modem thoughts, modern communication systems, etc. did not reduce the influence of religion. On the contrary, some new kind of religious reform organizations are coming up. For the rituals, they gave some non-religious connotations. Rituals have certain non-religious meanings. For example, marriage is an occasion where people get an opportunity to mingle with their colleagues and also bosses. It also gives people an opportunity to show o their wealth – their ne clothes and ornaments. Such festivities have also acquired political and economic implications. For example, the long rows of cars of guests, the VIPs attending the function and the sumptuous meals served, etc. will show the status of the family in the community.

Jati system is also adversely affected by secularism. In traditional India, Jati system worked within a religious framework. Purity Pollution concept was a basic tenet. Today Jati works as political pressure groups. In contemporary India there are many communal organizations, and political parties are formed on communal basis. To achieve their goals they go on exerting pressure on the nation. This kind of change that has happened is what is called as secularization of Jati.

The concept of Sanskritization as propounded by M.N. Srinivas has been severely criticized by many. Here some of the criticisms. 

a) Sanskritization exaggerates the upward mobility of the lower castes. Sanskritization tried to say that it will help the lower caste to reach the higher steps of the Jati ladder. But it did not bring any structural change. It brought some changes in the position of some people. They made their position better by keeping themselves within the framework of their Jati. In other words, the inequalities still continue. 

b) Sanskritization viewed the lifestyle of the higher caste as superior and that of the lower castes as inferior. Therefore it was natural for the lower castes to imitate the superior lifestyle of the higher castes. 

c) Sanskritization tries to justify a system based on inequality and exclusion. It speaks as if there is nothing seriously wrong with untouchability and purity-pollution concepts. With such an attitude, a society with equality is unthinkable. 

Here is the concept of a low caste person regarding purity- pollution: 

“Although goldsmiths are a higher caste than us, our caste-laws prohibit us from accepting food or water from them. We think that goldsmiths are very greedy and to dig out gold they can even wash human excreta. Therefore, although they are of a higher caste, they are more impure than us. We don’t accept any food from even higher caste people who do dirty jobs.” This shows how discriminatory feelings change lives of people. What is seen here is not to bring out a society with equality but to prolong the attitude that accepts discrimination and exclusion. This is an anti-democratic viewpoint. 

d) As a result of Sanskritization’s low caste, people accept the conventions and rituals of the higher castes. This results in the isolation of girls and women, dowry stem and discrimination against other castes. 

e) Critics also point out that as a result of Sanskritization, the special features of Dalit community and culture have been destroyed. For example, the value of the jobs done by the lower castes was reduced. Such jobs were pictured as shameful. Their traditional knowledge in local medicine and herbs, environment, agriculture, animal husbandry, artisanship, etc. was presented as useless in an industrial age.

By westernization, we mean the changes that took place here because of our contact with Western culture and the Westerners. Westernization is a process by which western lifestyle is imitated. It was M.N.Srinivas that first talked about this concept. He denes westernization thus: “Westernization is the changes that happened in the Indian society as a result of the British rule in India for more than 150. years. That word includes changes in technology, institutions, ideas, and values

Westernization is the imitation of the external forms of Western culture. It is not necessary that people accept modern values like democracy and equality. Westernization is of different kinds. One of them is the subculture of the Indian intellectuals. It is this intellectual group of Indians that first got into contact with Western culture. Their western education gave this opportunity.

They accepted the thought processes and lifestyles of the westerners. They also tried to spread it among their people. Thus it gave birth to a westernized subculture. The 19^th century reformists come in this category. But the western thoughts and lifestyle influenced only a small portion of Indians. But some western features had greater impact here. This is the second level of westernization.

The new technology, dress, ways of eating, etc. of the western culture brought changes in the style and habits of most Indians. Most middle-class families gladly welcomed them. Following the westerners, they bought radio, fridge, sofa set, dining table and chairs for their homes. There were also changes in art and literature. Artists like Ravi Varma and writers like Rabindranath Tagore, Chandu Menon, and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya were influenced by western culture. The style, theme and technique of Ravi Varma pictures were influenced by western as well as traditional art. In 1870, Ravi Varma agreed to make a portrait of the Family of Kizhakke Palat Krishnan Menon.

This picture of a matriarchal family in Kerala resembles very closely to a patriarchal family, with father, mother, and children, of Europe. As part of westernization changes also happened in other spheres. Clashes between generations, as seen today, are of western import! M.N. Srinivas said that lower classes tried Sanskritization whereas the upper classes tried westernization.

In a country with such diversities as India, Srinivasan’s view does not carry much weight. For example, the members of the Thiyya community, especially the elite, deliberately tried to be westernized and wanted to follow British culture. It was part of their efforts to reject Jati system and get into a cosmopolitan lifestyle. In the same way, people belonging to different communities in the North Eastern States were given new opportunities because of their esteem education.

Westernization, Secularization, Modernization, and Sanskritization are different concepts and in different contexts, they are used differently. Even then these concepts often stand together or in a hierarchical order. This mutual relation between these ideas is quite natural in the Indian context.

Sociology may have its own interpretations about each of them. Colonial modernity is full of paradoxes. Let us take the example of Western education. Western education was brought to India by the British colonial government. This helped the growth of an educated middle class. This middle class had big dreams about western philosophical thoughts and liberal democracy. At the same time, they were ashamed of the colonial rule of their motherland and they upheld the traditional wisdom and scholarship . of ancient India. In the Reform Movement of the 19th century also we had this tendency. In short, the educated middle class and reformists received Western concepts and at the same time, they upheld India’s tradition.

Colonial modernity not only presented new ideas, but it also caused the re-thinking and re-interpretation of Indian traditions. Culture and tradition are living concepts. People study them .and make timely changes. For example, we can think of the traditional dress, sari, worn by Indian women. Today some Indian women wear sari, with a Western touch. The old and the new are fused. They wear saris and at the same time, they use petticoats and blouse.

In India, we have many structural and cultural diversities. India is a land of diversities. These diversities are found in geography, race, language, religion, politics, and culture. It is these diversities that cause different things like Sanskritization, Modernization, Westernization, Secularization and so on to influence the diverse people. First, we talk about Sanskritization. There is a reason for that. Sanskritization had started even before the colonial rule. Through many ways, it continued to exist during and after the colonial rule.

The other three happened during the colonial period. These were brought about by the Western concepts like freedom and individual rights. Awareness of these concepts made Indians feel about the injustice of the colonial rule. It also gave them a sense of shame. It also created in them a desire to go back to their own tradition and heritage.

M.N. Srinivas used the term Sanskritization in 1952 when he was studying about the Jati System

Modernization has a long history. Modernization means the path Western Europe and America followed in the 17-19 centuries. Spokespersons for modernization say that other societies also must follow this very same path. From 19^th century, there have been changes in the viewpoints regarding modernization. Modernization was evaluated relating it to creative and desirable values. People and societies wanted to become modem. In the 20th century, this view became strong. The progress in technology and manufacturing process was considered modernization. The shift from traditional society to a more cultured society is also called modernization.

It was considered the opposite of tradition In India, modernity began during the colonial rule. It is this colonial background that marks our modernization and secularization different from those of the Westerners. Modernization and secularization are mutually related. They both are modem concepts. So we discuss them together here. Sociologists have tried to dene and interpret the meaning and content of the process of modernization. 

In their views the following are the features of modernization:

• Modernization denies regional limitations and narrow views, it gives importance to universality and cosmopolitan attitudes. 
• it. gives preference to science and reason above emotion and irrationality. 
• St treats the individual, and not groups, as the basic unit the society.
• Birth should not be the basis for one’s profession or status. It should be chosen by individuals. St should be wisdom that must determine our approach to nature. Fate or destiny has no place here.The identity of a person must be chosen and acquired, not imposed. 
• In the bureaucratic system, family, residence, community, etc. should have separate existence.

Advancement of modern civilization and urbanization had a great impact on our natural resources. Still, we have not realized the value of our natural resources. Conserving the natural resources such as coal petroleum soil and water is very essential. We can conserve natural resources by adopting the concept of Three R’s namely Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The activity BEST OUT OF WASTE focused on minimizing the usage of available resources and recycling the commonly accessible waste material enabling them to use the resources judiciously and developing the habit of conserving our natural resources.

The four activities that we can do on our own are :

(i) Reduce the use of water. 

(ii) Recycle the waste materials like paper. 

(iii) Avoid the use of non-renewable sources of energy. 

(iv) Planting trees.

i. Sustainable development implies various forms of growth in all levels like agriculture, ecological, social, natural resources etc. and meets the current basic needs.

ii. It helps in preserving resources for future generations too. 

iii. It leads to conservation of environment and leads to economic development.

The aim of water harvesting is to collect and store rainwater by using special techniques for future use when there is shortage of water or during non-rainy days. This water can be used for irrigation or it can be purified and can be used for drinking and other domestic purposes.

M.N. Srinivas used the term Sanskritization to show how lower castes imitated the lifestyle of the higher classes.

Two advantages associated with water stored in the ground are:

(i) It does not evaporate and provides moisture for vegetation.

(ii) It is relatively protected from contamination by human and animal waste.

(i) Does not evaporate. 

(ii) Recharges wells. 

(iii) No danger of mosquito breeding. 

(iv) Better availability of potable water

While exploiting the natural resources we should consider the following factors:

(a) The available natural resources must be managed for a long-term so that these will last for the generations to come. 

(b) Management of resources to ensure equitable distribution of resources among all the people. 

(c) Sustainable management of the environment is required while we exploit or used these natural resources. 

For example, mining causes pollution because of a large amount of slag is produced which should be properly disposed of.

Correct option is B) Bases

Correct option is A) Acids

Correct option is A) Metallic

The sea water is saline (having more concentration of salts) and acts as hypertonic solution for the fresh water. So fresh water fish cannot survive in sea water as it causes the plasmolysis of the cells of the fish and ultimately the fish will die.

Natural resources are the stocks of nature whether living or non-living, such as air, water, soil, animals and plants which are useful to the mankind.
Two factors that work against an equitable distribution of these resources are:
(i) money and (ii) power.

Pickles, jams, jellies and squashes are kept in hypertonic solution of sugar or salt which causes the plasmolysis of bacteria and fungi. So, they cannot grow in such an unfavourable environment.

There should be an equitable distribution of resources because everyone has equal rights to use natural resources and gets benefits from them. Everyone whether rich or poor has equal rights to get benefits from natural resources. Geographical factors and economic factors are the forces working against an equitable distribution of our resources. The rich and powerful people take advantage and get more benefits by using resources as compared to poor people. Over exploitation and mismanagement of resources also works against equitable distribution of our resources. So natural resources should be managed in such a way that everyone should get equal benefits from our natural resources.

In the beginning, M. Hamel emerges as a very strict teacher who always keeps a ruler in his hand. Apparently, it appears that M. Hamel does not understand the tender feelings of his students. He seems to be a typically hard task-master. But when he teaches his last lesson, the sensitive and thought-provoking teacher within him comes out. He is a great patriot and wants his students and countrymen to be proud of their nation and language. He exhorts them to come forward and to keep their language and culture intact and alive. M. Hamel is a very patient fellow. He teaches even his last lesson with great patience. To sum up, M. Hamel is a perfect teacher.

शुरू में, M. Hamel एक ऐसे कठोर अध्यापक के रूप में उभरकर आते हैं जो हमेशा अपने हाथ में एक डण्डा रखता है। सतही तौर पर ऐसा लगता है कि M. Hamel अपने छात्रों की सुकोमल भावनाओं को नहीं समझते हैं। वह विशिष्ट सख्त मिजाज व्यक्ति प्रतीत होते हैं। किन्तु जब वह अपना अन्तिम पाठ पढ़ाते हैं, तो उनके अन्दर का संवेदनशील और विचारोत्तेजक अध्यापक बाहर आ जाता है। वह एक महान देशभक्त हैं और चाहते हैं कि उनके विद्यार्थी तथा देशवासी अपने देश और अपनी भाषा के प्रति गौरव का अनुभव करें। वह उनका आह्वान करते हैं कि वे आगे आएं और अपनी भाषा तथा संस्कृति को सुरक्षित व जीवित रखें। M. Hamel एक बहुत ही धैर्यशाली व्यक्ति हैं। वह अपने अन्तिम पाठ को बहुत धैर्य के साथ पढ़ाते हैं। संक्षेप में, M. Hamel एक सम्पूर्ण शिक्षक हैं।

(B) He was given a reward by the king.

(a) The speaker is proud of the position people hold on to.

(b) The ordinary position they hold keeps them humble. But the path of self-dignity and honour they tread, makes them feel proud.

John asked Baldwin whether they were going to punish Gresham. Baldwin replied that he was afraid so. John again asked what it was for. Baldwin replied that it was for misappropriating the fund of the bank. John commented that he knew that and asked but what crime he had committed.

Robert Baldwin was a very sensitive, sincere, honest and loyal man. When John Gresham was convicted of the wreck in the bank and he was in the jail, Gresham asked Robert to speak only three words in the court, “I do not remember.” He thought of accepting the money and spoke those three words but he had lived an honest and pure life. That life stood before him. He was a very respectable and honourable man in the society. He was very angry when John Gresham had offered him money. Gresham knew that he was honest, when Robert rejected to accept the money he was not surprised. Such type of ideas were coming into the mind of Robert.

रॉबर्ट बाल्डविन एक संवेदनशील, गंभीर, ईमानदार और वफादार व्यक्ति था। जब जॉन ग्रेशम पर बैंक में आर्थिक विपदा का आरोप लगा और वह जेल में था, ग्रेशम ने रॉबर्ट से तीन शब्द अदालत में बोलने के लिए कहा था, “मुझे याद नहीं।” उसने पैसा लेने और यह शब्द बोलने के बारे में सोचा था परन्तु उसने एक पवित्र और ईमानदार जीवन जिया था। वह सारा जीवन उसके सामने खड़ा हो गया था। वह समाज में सम्माननीय और आदर योग्य रहा था। जब ग्रेशम ने उसे पैसे देने के लिए कहा तो उसे बहुत गुस्सा आया था। ग्रेशम जानता था कि वह ईमानदार था, जब रॉबर्ट ने पैसे के लिए मना किया उसे आश्चर्य नहीं हुआ था। रॉबर्ट के मन में इस प्रकार के विचार उठ रहे थे।

(a) Those who possess dignity and pride are considered rich.

(b) Honour is their asset.

This poem discusses in depth the virtues that make people greater than those who scale Himalayas. We have a few virtues which make us feel proud and tall. By nature we do every assigned duty with deep and true devotion.

We repel defeats because courage is our fort. We have never cringed from others. We don’t lick others’ shoes to achieve personal gains. We are proud and tall.

We deem it a duty and a mission to appreciate those who deserve appreciation. We shall carry on doing unfailingly what we are committed to do. We shall nourish those who nourish the world (i.e) those who better the world with their services, inventions and discoveries.

Despite living a simple and humble life, we have pride over our path of dignity and honour. We feel proud and tall for we never bend before the mighty.

We value individual differences. Every small effort to succeed in life matters. Peaks alone don’t matter. Even a hillock is a symbol of human achievement. We respect those who don’t stoop to conquer. We are proud to be rich in honour, dignity and pride. Those who stand on their own merit and serve as ladder for progress of fellowmen are worthy of our appreciation. We are proud and feel so tall.

Not the worldly riches, power and positions impress us. We derive our happiness in serving those who serve the nation. We respect all who are upright in their dealings. So, as honest citizens, we are proud.

India’s cricket team was beaten in Test series in Africa. Infact, it was routed. The team’s morale was a little down. The team captain Virat Kohli told his team to focus on what they were good at (i.e) sterling performance in One Day Internationals. He believed in the youngest bowlers and told them to play the game, the way they loved to play. He still believed in them. They would have to prove who are the masters of the game. Gathering their broken hopes and courage, the Indian team players, snatched the ODI series from the overconfident South Africans. They went on to win the T20 series too against the hosts. Thus they proved that success is not final and failure never fatal. One may bounce back from failure if one persists long enough.

A king had lost a battle. All his soldiers had been scattered across the country. Heart broken king Bruce was hiding in a cave. He saw a spider failing a number of times to spin a web. But it made it after about 20 attempts. This bolstered the confidence of the king. He refused to be controlled by failure. He defied defeat. He gathered his soldiers again and won the battle. These incidents throw much light on the truth that perseverance and courage counts for success in fife.

Mahatma Gandhi and his followers were arrested and jailed many times. Gandhi’s followers were brutally lathi charged. Gandhi had decided to silence the guns of the British with Ahimsha passive non-violent resistance. The brutal suppression of the struggle for freedom did not dishearten Gandhi. He did not brood about the strength of British army and weaknesses of unarmed peasants who believed in his leadership. He was a Karmayogi. What ever the duty to be done it must be done with steadfast devotion and sincerity. Other leaders got worried. Some angry young men resorted to violence.

They burnt down a police station at Chauri chaura too. But Gandhi declared a fast unto death. He plunged into action. If he had worried about the unpleasant developments, he wouldn’t have launched Quit India Movement or Salt Satyagraha effectively.

Thomas Alva Edison was not able to find the element that would glow if electricity was passed. He had failed 1000 times to invent the bulb. But he said, “The light bulb was an invention with 1000 steps”. Each step taught him what did not work. He lost his hearing capacity. He had many failures. His teachers believed him to be mad and unteachable.

His entire schooling was only a few years. His mom taught him and made him believe in himself. This man who had been ill-treated in school and faced many challenges had no time to brood. He went on to make 1093 inventions and got them patented. Those who are busy building facilities for transforming the world have neither the time nor the inclination to brood about failures or about possibilities of success in future.

Singleminded determination is necessary to achieve success in life. Legend says Dronacharya was training Pandavas to shoot arrows in the jungle. Once guru saw a bird at the top branch of a tall tree. He assigned the task of shooting the bird on its right eye. Bhim, Nakulan, Sakadevan and Dharman were denied the chance to aim at it because they all told Dronacharya that they saw the whole jungle, tree, sky and the bird respectively. But it was Arjun who said that he saw only the right eye of the bird and nothing else. Indo-Pak war was in progress. Four bombers were prowling into Indian airspace.

Indian fighter bomber pilot realized all the bombs were exhausted. He had singleminded determination to prevent the four bombers from bombing India harm and force them to surrender. He tried a trick. He called them and spoke to them. He informed them that he was thousand feet above them with his finger on a missile. If they just surrender, their lives would be spared. He radioed to his chief that they should welcome four prisoners of war along with their fighter bombers.

Napoleon Boneparte was once watching a battle from a hillock. One of his soldiers came with an urgent message. Napoleon looking at the badly wounded soldier thought that the war was lost. He called one of his aides and gave instructions for pullout. But the soldier said, “Sire, we‘ve won”. Then he gave a slip from another pocket. Being a practical leader, he had alternate plans always at hand. Such leaders never accept failure as permanent. People who pursue their goals in life with single minded determination always win.

Prof. V.C. Kulandtiisamy ( 14th July 1929 10th Dec 2016) is known as Kulotliimgan. He i is a prolific Tamil writer with six volumes of poems and seven of prose essays. He has 1 been conferred Thiruvalluvar Award by Government of Tamil Nadu (1999) and Sahitva j Academy’s Award in 1988 for his outstanding masterpiece “Vaazhum Valluvam”. Ills i poems, as evident in the poem “Everest is not the only Peak” deal with the gamut of human [ progress and all pervasive human effort to better the world.

Yes, last month we have had a health check-up in your school. The doctor told me I was healthy.

If malarial parasites are found in blood sample of that person, it means he or she has malaria, otherwise not.

Yes, once one of my friends suffered from malaria.

This can be done by-

(i) Not allowing the area around us to get water logged. 

(ii) Regularly cleaning the coolers and water tanks.

 (iii) Spraying DDT and oil in drains, pits etc.

 (iv) Cultivating fishes in nearby ditches, pits, ponds etc.

Baldwin did not explain His position to the papers because he did not think it necessary to tell them.