Sample Questions for CLAT 2023 – English

It is difficult to compare countries because of various factors such as size, culture, history,
geography, natural endowments, geopolitics, and internal polity come into play. There are some goals which can be achieved by smaller countries, but sometimes smaller countries find it difficult to embark upon certain big technological plans even if they have the funds because the size of the domestic market is too small.

If we consider the bigger countries, the closest comparison to India is China, though there are many crucial differences. The Chinese vision is to prepare the country for entry into the ranks of mid-level developed nations by the middle of the twenty-first century. Acceleration of the nation’s economic growth and social development by relying on advances in science and technology is pivotal in this.

Documents describing the Chinese vision state that science and technology constitute premier productive forces and represent a great revolutionary power that can propel economic and social development. It is interesting to note that the main lessons the Chinese have drawn from their past performance is their failure to promote science and technology as strategic tools for empowerment. They also point to the absence of mechanisms and motivations in their economic activity to promote dependence on science and technology.

Similarly, they hold that their scientific and technological efforts were not oriented towards economic growth. Consequently, they conclude that a large number of scientific and technological achievements were not converted into productive forces as they were too far removed from China’s immediate economic and social needs.

The Chinese vision is therefore aimed at exploiting state-of-art science and technology to enhance the nation’s overall power and strength, to improve people’s living standards, to focus on resolving problems encountered in large-scale industrial and agricultural production and to effectively control and alleviate pressures brought on by population, resources, and the environment.

By the year 2000, China had aimed at bringing the main industrial sectors up to the technological levels achieved by the developed countries in the 1970s or 80s and by 2020 to the level they would have attained by the early twenty-first century. The aim is to bridge
the overall gap with the advanced world. There is a special emphasis on research and
development of high technologies that would find defence applications.

Some of these technologies are critical for improving the features of key conventional weapons. Some technologies are meant for enhancing future military capabilities. Other efforts are aimed at maintaining the momentum to develop capabilities for cutting-edge defence technologies.

They call for unremitting efforts in this regard with the aim of maintaining effective self defence and nuclear deterrent capabilities and to enable parity in defence, science and technology with the advanced world.

i. The countries differ in their internal political system.
ii. Each country has its own demography.
iii. The countries with homogenous background are many in number.
a) Only i.
b) Only ii.
c) i and ii.
d) All of the above.

Correct option: C  [The author, in the very beginning of the passage, clearly mentions
a number of demographical and political factors, the presence of which makes it
difficult to compare countries. Statement I and II hence hold true. However, statement
III can’t be inferred from the passage]

a) To become one of the most developed nations.
b) To surpass the level of all middle-level developed nations by a good margin.
c) To be the most influential superpower.
d) None of these.

Correct option: B. [ As per the passage China wants to reach the level of middle-level
developed nations by the middle of 21 st century.None of the other options can be
inferred from the passage.]

a) Research and development
b) Science and technology.
c) Premier productive forces.
d) Minds united with revolutionary powers.

Correct answer: B. [It can be inferred from the 3 rd paragraph, 1 st sentence that the
author regards “Science and technology” as ‘premier productive forces for socio-
economic development of China.]

a) Building high quality infrastructure.
b) Innovation in the field of medicine.
c) Defence applications based on high technologies.
d) Agricultural production.

Correct option: C. [It can be inferred from the last paragraph, 9 th sentence that it is the
development of ‘Defence applications based on high technologies’ which is
specifically given importance to by China.]

i. Lack of orientation of science and technology towards economic growth.
ii. Lack of mechanisms in their economic activities to promote use of science and
technology.
iii. Excessive emphasis on science and technology as a strategic measure for empowerment.
a) Only i.
b) ii and iii.
c) Only ii.
d) i and ii.

Correct option: D. [Statement I and II can be inferred from the last paragraph, 3rd and
4th sentences while statement III contradicts what is being stated in the passage.]

In the second century of the Christian era, the empire of Rome was the most fair part of the earth, and the most civilized portion of mankind. The frontiers of that extensive monarchy were guarded by ancient renown and disciplined valour. The gentle but powerful influence of laws and manners had gradually cemented the union of the provinces. Their peaceful inhabitants enjoyed and abused the advantages of wealth and luxury.

The image of a free constitution was preserved with decent reverence: the Roman senate appeared to possess the sovereign authority, and devolved on the emperors all the executive powers of government. During a happy period of more than fourscore years, the public administration was conducted by and depended on the virtue and abilities of Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and the two Antonines. The principal conquests of the Romans were achieved under the republic; and the emperors, for the most part, were satisfied with preserving those dominions which had been acquired by the policy of the senate, the active emulations of the consuls, and the martial enthusiasm of the people.

The seven first centuries were filled with a rapid succession of triumphs; but it was
reserved for Augustus to relinquish the ambitious design of subduing the whole earth, and to introduce a spirit of moderation into the public councils. Inclined to peace by his temper and situation, it was easy for him to discover that Rome, in her present exalted situation, had much less to hope than to fear from the chance of arms; and that, in the prosecution of remote wars, the undertaking became every day more difficult, the event more doubtful, and the possession more precarious, and less beneficial.

The experience of Augustus added weight to these salutary reflections, and effectually convinced him that, by the prudent vigour of his counsels, it would be easy to secure every concession which the safety or the dignity of Rome might require from the most formidable barbarians. Instead of exposing his person and his legions to the arrows of the Parthians, he obtained, by an honourable treaty, the restitution of the standards and prisoners which had been taken in the defeat of Crassus.

On the death of that emperor, his testament was publicly read in the senate. He bequeathed, as a valuable legacy to his successors, the advice of confining the empire within those limits which nature seemed to have placed as its permanent bulwarks and boundaries: on the west, the Atlantic Ocean; the Rhine and Danube on the north; the Euphrates on the east; and towards the south, the sandy deserts of Arabia and Africa.

a) The borders were guarded by experienced warriors.
b) The legend of Rome’s might dissuaded any enemies.
c) The Romans fought with outdated but famous weapons.
d) They relied on ancient spells to ward off attackers.

Correct option: B. [‘Ancient renown’ refers to the might of the Roman empire that
had been established over the ages and acted as a deterrent to any attackers. None of
the other options can be inferred from the passage.]

a) Suppressed anger.
b) Silly indulgence.
c) Scholarly detachment.
d) Empathetic understanding.

Correct option: D. [Analysing the adjectives used by the author, it can be concluded
that he had a compassionate and positive outlook for the Roman empire. A and B are
thus eliminated. C is incorrect as scholarly detachment means not reacting to
something emotionally, which was not the case because of the adjectives used to
describe the kingdom.]

a) Because he disliked all forms of suffering.
b) Because he felt a sense of duty and responsibility towards for his troops.
c) Because he realised that waging war would not effectively serve his purpose.
d) Because he had turned to the path of peace.

Correct option: C. [As per the last sentence of the 2 nd paragraph, Augustus realised
that any further conflict could lead to undesirable consequences, threatening the
empire even more and he could instead utilise the other faculties of Rome to gain
what he desires much more efficiently.A and B cannot be inferred from the passage.D
is incorrect as it does not encapsulate the true intentions behind his actions.]

a) A desire to get married.
b) Fondness for war.
c) An aggressive view of life.
d) An appetite for destruction.

Correct option: B. ‘Martial’ means relating to the military. As per the passage, the
people of Rome actively played a role in acquiring territories through their
willingness to take up arms. A is irrelevant. B and D cannot be inferred.

a) Ossified
b) United
c) Established firmly
d) Formalised

Correct answer: C. ‘Cemented’ in the passage refers to the firmly established and
consolidated expanse of the Roman Empire. A is incorrect as ‘ossified’ means to be
conventional and opposed to change, which was not the nature of Roman empire. B
and D are incorrect as being united and formalised were only parts of the ‘cemented’
nature.

Woody Allen once said that 80% of success in life can be attributed to simply showing up on time. But a growing body of research indicates that – in workplace, at least – this wry estimate may be somewhat optimistic. Researchers say that presenteeism – the problem of workers being on the job but, because of some medical conditions, not fully functioning – can cut individual productivity by one-third or more. In fact, presenteeism appears to be a costlier problem than its productivity-reducing counterpart, absenteeism. And, unlike absenteeism, presenteeism isn’t always apparent: you cannot tell when – or how much – a medical condition is hindering someone’s performance.

However, a handful of companies are recognising the problem and trying to do something about it. That entails determining the prevalence of health conditions that undermine job performance, calculating the related productivity loss, and combating that loss in effective ways. This is a new area of study, and questions remain around of host of issues, including the central one: the exact degree to which various illnesses reduce productivity.

Presenteeism, as defined by researchers, isn’t about pretending to be ill to avoid work duties or goofing off on the job (surfing the internet, say, when you should be preparing a report). The term – which has gained currency despite some academics’ uneasiness with its somewhat catchy feel – refers to productivity loss resulting from real health problems. Underlying the research on presenteeism is the assumption that employees do not take their jobs lightly, that most of them need and want to continue working if they can.

Researchers have also tried to quantify the impact of disease in general on workplace
productivity. Using the same methods employed to gauge the cost of depression and pain, a research team calculated the total cost of presenteeism in the United States to be more than 150 billion dollars per year. Furthermore, most studies confirm that presenteeism is far more costly than illness-related absenteeism or disability. That is, less time was actually lost from people staying at home than from them showing up but not performing at the top of their game.

What may be more significant – but is also controversial – is that presenteeism appears to cost companies substantially more than they spend directly on medical treatment and drugs. It’s important to note that many presenteeism studies, though conducted by academics or health management consultants, are proposed and funded by pharmaceutical companies opting to show that certain medications are worth paying for because they will increase worker productivity by ameliorating symptoms of illness.

Typically, studies show that presenteeism costs employees two to three times more than direct medical care, which is paid for by companies in the form of insurance premiums or employee claims. But such findings, while striking, are academic until a company takes a close look at the effect of illness on productivity of its own workforce. Bank One, for instance, has calculated its direct and indirect health costs and found that the direct spending represents only a fraction of the company’s total costs.

a) Present studies conclusively prove that presenteeism is a far higher cost than
absenteeism.
b) Presenteeism, despite its intangible nature, can be accurately measured.
c) Though tentative, studies show that presenteeism is more a significant cost to
companies than expected.
d) As per the recent studies, presenteeism is likely to affect the profitability of
companies if adequate health measures are not taken up

Correct option: C. The passage discusses the concept of presenteeism and studies
that suggest it is a significant cost to the companies. A is incorrect because the studies
are not stated as being conclusive. B is incorrect as the passage states that presenteeism is not always apparent, implying that it cannot be measured accurately. D is incorrect because the passage does not talk about the effect of presenteeism on
profitability.

a) The definition of presenteeism is open to both question and correction because of the
intangible nature of the concept.
b) The studies on presenteeism arrived at different values for the cost incurred, making
consensus impossible.
c) Only a handful of companies now recognise this problem and try to arrive at a
solution for presenteeism.
d) The organisations funding the studies on presenteeism are business entities with
questionable commitment to academic advancement.

As per the 5th paragraph, the studies are likely to be controversial because they are conducted by certain pharmaceutical companies ‘hoping to show that certain medications are worth paying for’. This implies a biased economic interest. A is incorrect as it is not mentioned in the context of controversy. B is not stated anywhere in the passage. C is incorrect as the number of companies is irrelevant to the controversy.

a) Identifying medical problems that reduce worker productivity.
b) Clearly quantifying productivity loss due to presenteeism.
c) Allotting funds for the prevention of presenteeism in a judicial way.
d) Offering more direct healthcare for its employees.

a) The studies concluding about presenteeism costs exaggerate the actual costs incurred
during its existence.
b) The presenteeism costs being only a fraction of a company’s total cost, they cannot
significantly influence the profits of that company.
c) In the current stage, the cost estimates for presenteeism are more of theoretical
interest than of empirical interest.
d) The direct costs of a company in providing healthcare are likely to be less than those
of presenteeism.

The 1st sentence of the last paragraph implies that at this juncture, the findings about costs incurred from presenteeism are not practically applicable. B is incorrect as the passage makes no mention about the profitability of a company. D, while true, is not relevant to the question.

a) Redress
b) Rectify
c) Mitigate
d) Blight

Correct option: D. Ameliorate means to make better; more tolerable. Blight means something that impairs or destroys.