Descriptive Writing.pdf

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PREFACE

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Before you lies the book “Descriptive Writing”, the basis of which ss re

are the essentials of the descriptive writing paper of various

been written to cater to the needs of students who want to become a dab hand at writing a Letter, Essay, and Precis in any competitive exam. The objective of this book is to equip the students with the expertise to make the cut in the descriptive writing test against such a toilsome competition. This book provides a framework for learning the key concepts of writing essays on current as well as the most expected topics, formal and informal letters, and precis. To describe and explain the concepts of descriptive writing, this book uses tips, step by step guidelines, latest format and writing aids, solved examples of essays, letter and precis, and set of exercises based on them all. This framework allows the aspirants to conquer excellent writing skills into a larger context. The content has been prepared under the tactical guidance of the scintillating minds and combined efforts of Gopal Anand, Swati Gupta, and Sakshi Singh, who have utilized their experience to prepare the study material incorporated into the book. 1

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PO, Canara Bank PO, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, SSC MTS, etc. It has

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competitive examinations like SBI PO, IBPS PO, Syndicate Bank

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Some features associated with this book are:

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· Format and useful writing tips for Letter, Essay and Précis.

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· Incorporates all popular and expected topics for Essay Writing.

· Expected Essay/ Letter Writing Topics Based on Current Affairs. We would like to thank our experienced faculties, subject-matter experts and the expertise of Adda247 without whose cooperation it wouldn't have been possible to come up with such a meticulous study material for Descriptive Writing. We hope that our readers appreciate the strenuous efforts that we put into this book. Any remarks or suggestions for further refinements are wholeheartedly welcome. Team Adda247

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· Practice Exercise on Essay, Letter and Precis Writing.

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· Solved examples of different types of formal and informal letters asked in competitive exams.

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CONTENTS

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CHAPTER-1 ESSAY WRITING TIPS

Essay Writing Practice Exercise ...................................................12-88 Right to Freedom of Expression ......................................................... 12 Cultural Diversity in India .................................................................. 14 Start Up India ....................................................................................... 15 Causes of violence in the world ......................................................... 17 Safety of Women .................................................................................. 18 Naxalism in India ................................................................................. 20 Schemes by Government of India ...................................................... 21 Corruption in India .............................................................................. 23 Digital India .......................................................................................... 24 Godmen- A Threat to Indian Society ................................................. 26 India’s Poor Ranking in Environmental Performance Index 2018 ...................................................................... 27 Disaster Management in India ........................................................... 29 Urbanization and Smart Cities in India............................................. 30 Space Programmes of India ................................................................ 32 Role of Media in India ......................................................................... 33 Security threats in India-Terrorism.................................................... 35 Unemployment in India ...................................................................... 37 Caste Based Reservation in India ....................................................... 38 Climate Catastrophe ............................................................................ 39 Demonetisation .................................................................................... 41 Electronic Voting Machines ................................................................ 42 3

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Farmers’ Suicide in India .................................................................... 43 GIFT CITY ............................................................................................. 45 Global Warming ................................................................................... 46 Globalisation ......................................................................................... 48 Indo-Pak Relations ............................................................................... 49 Intolerance............................................................................................. 50 Ransomware Attacks ........................................................................... 51 Sexual Harassment............................................................................... 53 Bullet Trains .......................................................................................... 54 Can India go Cashless ......................................................................... 55 Can Loan Waivers Benefit Farmers ................................................... 56 Challenges after Implementation of GST .......................................... 57 Cooperative and Competitive Federalism ........................................ 58 Corporal Punishment .......................................................................... 59 Cryptocurrency: Is it safe? .................................................................. 60 Digital Banking’s Adverse Effect on Banking Industry .................. 61 Doklam Issue ........................................................................................ 62 Gender Equality and Sustainable Development .............................. 63 NEET: Boon or Bane ............................................................................ 64 Prompt Corrective Action ................................................................... 64 Right to Privacy .................................................................................... 65 Rohingyas.............................................................................................. 66 Rural Urban Divide.............................................................................. 67 Triple Talaq ........................................................................................... 68 World War III ....................................................................................... 69 Smog in Delhi ....................................................................................... 70 Swachh Bharat Abhiyan ...................................................................... 72 Femal Foeticide : Root Causes, Practices and Prevention ............... 74 Saubhagya Scheme............................................................................... 75 ah

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Benefit of Computer Based Test for Prestigious Exam.................... 77 Beti Bachao Beti Padhao ...................................................................... 79 Overpopulation : Causes, Impact and Prevention ........................... 81 7th Pay Commission ............................................................................ 83 Should Government Consider Privatising Public Sector Banks ? .. 86 Essay Writing Exercise ....................................................................... 87 ah

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CHAPTER-2 LETTER WRITING TIPS What is a Formal Letter? ...................................................................... 99 Useful Formal Letter Writing Aids .................................................. 105 What is an Informal Letter? .............................................................. 108 Useful Informal Letter Writing Aids ............................................... 111 Formal Letter Writing ............................................................... 113-134 Letter to Editor ................................................................................... 113 Complaint Letter ................................................................................ 119 Grievance Redressal Letter ............................................................... 124 Formal Invitation................................................................................ 126 Letter to Manager ............................................................................... 128 Enquiry Letter..................................................................................... 130 Formal Request Letter ....................................................................... 132 Practice Exercise ................................................................................ 134 5

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Employee Retention ........................................................................... 88 FDI in India .......................................................................................... 90 Merger of Banks in India ................................................................... 91 Insurance Penetration......................................................................... 94 Financial Inclusion in India .............................................................. 95

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Important Points on Some Banking Related Topics ............... 88-98

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Informal Letter Writing ............................................................. 135-147 ah

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Personal Letter/ Expression of Concern ......................................... 135 .w

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Condolence Letter ............................................................................. 143

Thank You Letter/ Gratitude Expression ....................................... 145 Informal Request ................................................................................ 146 Practice Exercise ................................................................................. 147

CHAPTER-3 PRÉCIS WRITING TIPS Writing Process ........................................................................... 148-182 Tips for Précis Writing ....................................................................... 150 1. Expanding Tax Base & GDP .......................................................... 150 2. Intense Heat Waves and Summers ............................................... 153 3. How India must respond to a Low HDI rank ............................. 156 4. India’s Steps Towards a Nuclear Power Nation ......................... 158 5. Capitalism........................................................................................ 161 6. Schism .............................................................................................. 164 7. Rivers................................................................................................ 166 8. Black Money .................................................................................... 168 9. The Right to Free, Compulsory Education .................................. 170 10. Class X Board exams .................................................................... 172 Précis Writing Exercise .............................................................. 175-182 6

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Letter of Congratulations................................................................... 144

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Informal Invitation ............................................................................. 143

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CHAPTER-4

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PREVIOUS YEARS' ESSAY WRITING QUESTIONS ss re

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SBI PO 2016 ........................................................................................ 183 BOB PO 2016 ...................................................................................... 186 SSC CGL TIER-III 2016 .................................................................... 187 SBI PO 2017 ........................................................................................ 188 NICL AO 2017 .................................................................................... 189 IBPS PO 2017...................................................................................... 190 BOB PO 2017 ...................................................................................... 192 SYNDICATE BANK PO 2018 ........................................................ 193

SBI PO 2016 ........................................................................................ 197 BOB PO 2016 ...................................................................................... 200 SSC CGL TIER-III 2016 .................................................................... 203 SBI PO 2017 ........................................................................................ 204 NICL AO 2017 .................................................................................... 207 IBPS PO 2017...................................................................................... 208 BOB PO 2017 ...................................................................................... 210 Syndicate Bank PO 2018 ................................................................. 211

ANNEXTURE HOW TO WRITE EFFECTIVELY ? ......................................... 216-219 PHRASAL VERBS ..................................................................... 220-249 VOCABULARY .......................................................................... 250-312 7

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PREVIOUS YEARS' LETTER WRITING QUESTIONS

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CHAPTER-5

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ssay is any literary piece of work which is mainly based on facts that deals with its theme from a limited and often personal point of view. It is a systematic, methodical, and an analytical composition that is usually much shorter and less formal than a dissertation or thesis. An essay is an essential part of Descriptive Paper of any competitive exam, be it an SSC, Bank, Insurance exam or a UPSC level exam. It is a long composition that can be asked on any topic, especially on the topics related to current issues, or the issues that are drawing everybody’s attention. You can go through the current affair topics important for competitive exams on currentaffairs.adda247.com. You should also be prepared for the topics that are generally uncommon from the point of view of competitive examinations. READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY You must examine the question meticulously to make sure you answer what is asked. Generally the essay questions have some direction words that give a hint about what is wanted in the essay, such as compare, describe, explain, argue, discuss, critique, etc. These words are actually the task words that help you identify the task that needs to be done. Highlight the key words and identify the topic words that indicate what the whole essay is going to be about. 8

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ESSAY WRITING TIPS

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TEMPLATE Introduction Paragraph: Give a brief punchy statement which ah

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intends to grab the examiner’s attention and make him/her want to ss re

continue to read your essay.

beginning of your essay. Give examples to support your arguments Make sure that your introduction gives the examiner a clear understanding of what your essay is about and tells him/her what to expect in the paragraphs to come. Give the reader the best first impression possible. Avoid personal pronouns like I, My, or Me. You can use a suitable idiom/proverb/quote to start your essay. Body : The main purpose of a body paragraph is to explain in detail the examples that support your thesis. Begin each paragraph with a theme sentence that connects the paragraph to the rest of the essay. Start with the first subtopic and continue with supporting details. Give examples and explain how this example proves your argument. You can draw up comparisons to make the examiner understand what you are trying to say.

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the examiner’s mind about which side you are on from the

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Support your statement by a few arguments that leave no doubt in

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Continue with second/third subtopics (if necessary) and proceed in ah

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a similar way.

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Ensure that every different point is given a new paragraph.

necessary points. The first sentences of your body paragraphs need to be very effective. Conclusion : Conclusion is a crux of all that has been discussed earlier. You can start by summarizing your main ideas by drawing together each component of you previously made arguments in a logical and significant way. Give your own opinion or a suggestion in the end (if required). Try to conclude with a quotation that amplifies your main point. A quotation can add texture and specificity to your discussion. Do not forget to address the task given to you in the question. Avoid Introducing a new idea or subtopic in your conclusion. Make sure your conclusion agrees with your introduction. USEFUL WRITING AIDS Finishing Touches Check the order of your paragraphs. Make sure that the order of your paragraphs makes sense. 10

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because you won’t be left with much of words to explain other

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Do not stick to a single subtopic and write too much about it

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Make sure that flow of sentences is smooth.

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Add phrases to connect thoughts or ideas.

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Check your essay for grammar and spelling mistakes.

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Transition Addition

and, also, besides, further, furthermore, too, moreover, in addition, then, of equal importance, equally important, another Comparison in the same way, by the same token, similarly, in like manner, likewise, in similar fashion Purpose in order that, so that, to that end, to this end, for this purpose Contrast but, in contrast, conversely, however, still, nevertheless, nonetheless, yet, and yet, on the other hand, of course, on the contrary, or, in spite of this, actually, a year ago, now, notwithstanding, for all that, strangely enough, ironically Cause/ Effect Because, since, on account of, for that reason, therefore, consequently, accordingly, thus, hence, as a result Conclusion In conclusion, lastly , to sum up, to summarize, in sum, in brief, in short, in summary 11

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TIPS FOR ESSAY WRITING

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Don’t be abusive while mentioning negative aspects of something. Avoid using slang or text language. Your tone should always be confident and formal while writing essays. Try using simple vocabulary. Always write in paragraphs. Do not address the reader. Read editorials daily and rewrite its summary in 250-300 words. Try writing essay on topics/issues currently in news.

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Right to freedom of expression and freedom of opinion are among the most fundamental rights in a democratic republic. The prerequisite for a political system to run in a democratic way is to provide its citizens with a power to form their opinion on certain issues and express their views unhindered, unfettered by the fear of retribution. It allows people of the country to freely engage in the social, cultural, as well as political affairs. In India, this right, the right to freedom of expression is protected under the Article 19 (1) (a) and is fundamental to our democracy. However, Article 19 (2) imposes certain reasonable restrictions on all the fundamental rights constituting that of freedom of speech and expression.

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1. Right to Freedom of Expression

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This right is available solely for the citizens of India, not for the citizens of any other country. The restrictions imposed with respect to this fundamental right are in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, protection of the republic, cooperative relationships with foreign states, public order, decorum and morality and contempt of court, defamation and stimulation of an offense. The people of India declare their solemn resolve to secure to all the citizens, liberty of thought and expression in the Preamble to the Constitution of India. At the same time, a law punishing statements made with the deliberate intention to hurt the cultural, religious or sentimental feelings of any class of people is necessary because it imposes a restriction on the right of free speech in the interest of public order. For the speech or expression that has the tendency to lead to a breach of the peace or create public disorder, there must be a sound and proper nexus or link between the restrictions and the attainment of public order. Freedom of expression is a basic requirement that should be fulfilled by every civil society. But, in this age of modernization, this right is just not limited to expressing one’s views through words but it also includes circulating one’s views in writing or through audiovisual instrumentalities, through advertisements and through any other communication channel. It incorporates the right to information, and freedom of the press as well. Freedom of speech and expression is like a buttress to a democratic government and should be regarded as the first condition of liberty. [Word Limit- 400 Words] ah

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2. Cultural Diversity in India

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India is a populous country and its large population enhances the cultural identity of the country across the different geographical lines. The country accounts for a large population of Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains and various other religions and this marks the existence of the diversity of Indian Culture. The different languages spoken in the country including Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu among many others add a feather in the cap in the country’s heritage. People of different religions begin the day with morning hymns, and these rich values are inculcated into the children since their childhood. Morning prayers and moral education are a significant part of the education system in India. Despite the diverse culture, people here are not discriminated by caste, color or creed but by their values and this is what makes India a unique country to live in. Culture is further displayed in various forms of art, particularly, music, dance, poetry, theater, and painting. Along with art, different festivals that the citizens of India celebrate with so much of enthusiasm exhibiting color, rituals, and prayers definite to cultural heritage. Many countries across the world have diverse cultures but what makes India novel are the different kinds of clothing, different cuisines, festivals, languages. If North India has chole bhature, tandoori chicken, rajma chawal, kadhi chawal, dhokla, daal baati churma and biryani to relish, South India is not behind in the race. From masala dosa, rava uttpam, rasam, sambarlemon rice to toran, appam, meen; the South Indian cuisine has a great variety to offer. Different traditions in the different parts of India underline the cultural influences that still exist in spite of the modernization by which the Indian traditions are considered to be fading away.

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This cultural diversity marks the uniqueness and enriches a country’s history and social setups with creativity in art and architectural aspects arising from such diversity. Sometimes, it also poses a challenge where these distinctions create language barriers and enhance social segregation or non-acceptance among people due to the variability of individuals. Indians, despite so many diversities, are still united, still have that sense of brotherhood, and are proud of their culture and traditions. Through various international film festivals or through beauty pageants, India never stays back from demonstrating its culture on the international platform too. The compliance, flexibility, and changes with time make Indian culture fashionable and acceptable too. [Word Limit- 400 Words] ah

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Honorable Prime Minister of India launched the “Start-Up India Action Plan” in the year 2016. The main objective of this campaign is to enable an eco-system to promote and nurse entrepreneurship across the country. It was basically started in order to promote and foster entrepreneurship in India, the basis of which is an action plan that promotes financing funds from banks to various start-up ventures. This will not only advance the entrepreneurship in India but also create job opportunities for the unemployed youth of the country. A startup is an entity, that can be private, in a partnership or limited liability partnership (LLP) which was opened less than five years ago, has an annual turnover less than Rs. 25 crore and is headquartered in India. The campaign “Start-up India” was first

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3. Start Up India

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announced by the Prime Minister of India, on the occasion of Independence Day in the year 2015 to promote start-ups in India. The action plan of this initiative is mainly based on the three pillars i.e., Simplification and Handholding, Funding Support and Incentives, and Industry-Academia Partnership and Incubation. This scheme has various advantages including self-certification, a ah

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inspection would be carried out on start-ups for three years regarding the labor laws and the environment law compliance will be required only after self-certification. An added field of focus relating to this campaign is to cut the prohibitive States Government policies within this domain, such as License Raj, Land Permissions, Foreign Investment Proposals, and Environmental Clearances. The initiative Start-Up India is about formulating prosperity in India. It has given enormous opportunities to the enterprising youth who dream of starting their own business but had limited resources to carry it out. This scheme has been a success since it was first introduced and has benefitted many entrepreneurs across the country to set up their own enterprises and has also provided jobs to many jobless citizens of the country. So, in total, the initiative, with proactive support at multiple levels, has contributed a lot to wealth creation, economic growth, and employment generation in India. [Word Limit- 400 Words] 16

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app support, a single-point hub for hand-holding, etc. Also, no

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three-year exemption from inspections, an online portal, mobile

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4. Causes of Violence in the World In today’s world, there is a lot of violence everywhere. Taking ah

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responsibilities, having respect for one another, manners are now ss re

considered the obsessions of past. Countries are fighting with each

for no reason, sexual violence is so common these days. There is a floating anger, and insecurity hovering over all of us, created by us, fed through us. But why? There are millions of reasons for the current situation of the violence prevailing in the world. One of the biggest reasons is the increasing intolerance among the people in the world. There is only the sense of mistrust and hatred instead of fraternity or camaraderie among people. Drugs too play a significant role in making the world scary to some extent. The drug addicts resort to violence in order to score the next high while others get violent while they are high. They fight with each other to gain more power and also fight with the governments who try to stop them. Next, if we think of wars, the biggest reason comes out to be greed. Peace, democracy, chemical weapons etc. are all just propaganda that the greedy governments and corporations use to veil the real motives. The media plays a great part in spreading the violence across the globe by making the world look more violent than it actually is and thereby creating violence and mistrust among people. There is violence in the movies, video games, and hatred and anger in the 17

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other as well, children at school bully each other, someone is shot

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other, citizens are fighting against governments and with each

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songs and books. Every such stuff reaches out to small children who try to bring out their dreams to be exactly like their favorite hero done in the game or movie. Illiteracy, unemployment, religion, racism, violence against women and children, terrorism, etc are some of the other significant grounds on which the violence in the world is caused. In order to prevent the violence, the enforcement of physical punishment has been used as a tested method since the inception of the civilization. The social development programmes for children as well as adolescents can reduce their engagement in violence by inculcating in them the life skills like social, emotional, and behavioral competencies which help them deal with the challenges of everyday life effectively. [Word Limit- 400 Words] 5. Safety of Women India has always been known for its great culture and tradition all over the world. From the ancient times, women have been considered as goddesses and worshipped since the evolution of the Indian civilizations. But, nowadays, the safety of women has become a grave concern in the country. There have been cases where women were reported to have been sexually assaulted, molested, raped, acid-attacked, trafficked, ill-treated as in domestic violence or dowry cases. All these cases raise a question mark on the safety of women in India. The victims of any of the abovementioned heinous crimes get into an emotional trauma that spans for months, years and even throughout her life. ah

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It’s a shame for our country that such incidences take place here ah

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every day. Rapes, that have become so common these days know .w

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no difference between a six-month-old infant and a 70-year-old

women are found to be working in various fields like aeronautics, space, politics, banks, schools, sports, businesses, army, police, and more but most of them feel unsafe at the same time.

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challenging for a socio-economically and sexually repressed India to live with the modern, contemporary, and independent India. Stringent laws and actions are required to curb the menace. The highest level of punishment should be given to the offenders for such heinous crimes. Many laws have been introduced in order to lessen the number of such incidences but the growing rate of such crimes against women only shows that they were all weak and ineffective. Women themselves will have to raise their voice against everything wrong that happens to them, be it rape, domestic violence, sexual or mental harassment, or any other such violence. This is a huge problem and cannot be resolved unless the women of the country, especially the ones who are from the backward areas and are suppressed extremely, empower themselves by protecting themselves and their rights on the part of being a human. [Word Limit- 400 Words] 19

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mordern India in which women want to live on their own. So many

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woman. Backward ideas about gender and sexuality overpower the

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6. Naxalism in India

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Naxalite is a term used to refer to activist who is a member of the .w

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Communist Party of India. They operate in various parts of India,

tiff between Naxalites and the Indian government. The term Naxal has its roots in the village Naxalbari in West Bengal, where the violent moment was organized by a section of the Communist Party of India. The movement has now advanced to the hilly and forest regions of around eight different states, with more than 150 districts are believed to be under its direct influence. Naxalites are mostly active in the tribal areas spreading from Andhra Pradesh to Bihar and Maharashtra, and also covering parts of Karnataka, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu. Over three thousand people had been killed in NaxaliteGovernment conflicts between 2002 – 2005. The conflict has displaced 350,000 members of tribal groups from their ancestral lands with hundreds of people being killed annually in clashes between the CPI-Maoists and the government every year since 2005. The naxalites also mounted an attack on a BSF patrol team near Kurenar. The incident came a few weeks after the Naxals ambushed a team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Sukma, Chhattisgarh, killing 25 of its policemen providing security for road construction in the area. 20

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and eastern India. The Naxalite–Maoist insurgency is an ongoing

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mostly in West Bengal and less developed areas of rural southern

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Naxalites are influential and active in some parts of India due to the unresolved issues and differences over there. A decent implementation of land ceiling laws, utilization of the funds provided to the government in the most efficient manner could be the solution to this problem. All those who have been displaced should be given proper rehabilitation along with police security. Government of India launched a new security operation policy to deal with Naxalites called ‘SAMADHAN’ - Smart leadership, Aggressive strategy, Motivation and Training, Actionable intelligence, Dashboard-based key performance indicators and key result areas, Harnessing technology, Action plan for each threat, No access to funding. This problem can’t be resolved through bullets or any shortcuts, but through short-term, medium-term and long term solutions. With the new strategies and full force, we will be successful against them. [Word Limit- 400 Words] 7. Schemes by Government of India ah

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The current government of India, after taking over in May 2014, has launched a number of welfare schemes by now. Some of the schemes were newly created while the other old schemes were given new names, amended or both. These schemes that could be either Central, State-specific or a joint collaboration between the Centre and the States, were launched in order to help the nation on several grounds including education, healthcare facilities, electricity, LPG connections, availability of food, housing, water. The schemes are intended to undertake social reforms for all age groups, from children to adults as well as the elderly people of the country.

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The government of India allocates some amount of funds to these schemes every year. Under this year’s union budget, different schemes have been given special attention like, the free LPG connections scheme, Ujjwala Yojana will be expanded to eight crore households; Rs. 5,750 crore allocated to National Livelihood Mission and Rs2,600 crore to the groundwater irrigation scheme; 4 crore electricity connections will be provided to the poor under Saubhagya Yojana; a new national health protection scheme, Rashtriya Samaj Beema Yojana will be launched that will be the world’s largest healthcare programme; PM Jeevan Beema Yojana benefitted more than 2 crore families; Jan Dhan Yojana will be extended to all 60 crore bank accounts; target of Rs.3 lakh crore for lending under MUDRA for 2018-19; under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, about 35000 kms road construction in Phase-I at an estimated cost of Rs.5,35,000 crore has been approved; and many more. Some of the major schemes of Government of India are Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana, Stand Up India Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana (APY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Clean India Campaign, and Housing For All. The implementation of these schemes was intended to involve action at international, national, regional and local levels. All of these schemes or yojanas renew the nation’s commitment to eradicating poverty, raising productivity, reducing income inequalities and removing social and economic disparities. [Word Limit- 400 Words] ah

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8. Corruption in India

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Corruption is defined as a dishonest or unethical conduct by a person assigned with a position of authority, often to acquire personal benefit, which may include many activities including bribery and embezzlement. Corruption in India is a hidden phenomenon and a study shows that more than 60% of Indian population had firsthand experience of paying bribes to get jobs done in public offices. The largest contributors to the corruption are entitlement programs and social spending schemes ratified by the Indian government. Corruption caused problems in government funded projects, tendering processes and awarding contracts, hospitals and health care, land and property, income tax department, and even science and technology. Corruption may lead to bureaucratic delay and inefficiency, and loss of our country’s credibility and its economic growth. The main causes of corruption in India are low job opportunities, low pay scales or wages of government employees, lack of strict laws against corruption, lack of unity among people who are fighting against corruption, lack of transparency in employee income reports, lack of freedom to independent detective agencies, making use of corrupt means to make the wealth needed to expand a particular political party, lack of enough powers to run the judicial system and other independent organizations, lack of accountability, encouragement of unhealthy competition, and many more.

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A variety of organizations have been formed in India to vigorously ah

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fight against corrupt Indian government and other corrupt business .w

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practices. Some of the organizations are, Bharat Swabhiman Trust;

of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has been constituted to examine methods to strengthen laws to restrain generation of black money in India, and to put to an end the illegal transfer of money outside India. Some of the States of India have their own anticorruption agencies and courts. If corruption levels in India were reduced to levels in developed countries, India’s GDP growth rate could rise at a higher rate yearly. [Word Limit- 400 Words] 9. Digital India The government of India launched a campaign named Digital India aimed at making the government services available to its citizens electronically by an enhanced online support, and by increased Internet connectivity. Under this campaign, the rural and remote areas of the country are expected to be provided the internet connectivity that will contribute to making the country digitally empowered in the field of technology. The Digital India Campaign has three key components that are being focused upon as the main vision areas. 24

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Rights and Action (ASTRA). A committee headed by the Chairman

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Jaago Re! One Billion Votes; Association for Social Transparency,

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1. Development of secure and stable Digital Infrastructure: The aim of the Indian Government by the launch of this campaign is the internet connectivity throughout the country that is reliable. It will be beneficial for the country not only in terms of technology but also safety and educational purposes. It also concentrates on providing an enduring digital infrastructure and easy access to all sorts of online services. 2. Delivering government services digitally: The various services that are launched by the government for the benefit of common man of the country hardly ever reach the people who actually need them. With this campaign, the government also focuses on providing all such services to its citizens digitally. This will also promote and motivate the people to do more and more online/ electronic transactions that will be easy, and help India go cashless. 3. Universal Digital Literacy: With this campaign, people will get to know more and more about the online services like making payments or submitting the documents online. This will lead to the digital empowerment of citizens and make the living easier, faster and comfortable for them. The internet subscribers increased to more than 500 million in India in the year 2017. Various states and districts have come up excellently to portray themselves as well-performing lots under the Digital India Campaign. This initiative of the Indian Government to transform the country into a digitally empowered nation will provide the country with a high-speed internet facility, broadband highways, information technology jobs, black money eradication, switch over to cashless transactions and use of mobile phones universally and that will definitely take India to new heights globally. [Word Limit- 400 Words] ah

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10. Godmen – A Threat to Indian Society

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From time to time, one of the many godmen, who has lakhs of crazy followers is accused of a crime. The guru maintains his blamelessness despite compelling evidence, his followers allege conspiracy and sometimes even create chaos in the name of these babas. The godman may ultimately go to prison, but his followers deny to quit believing in him. In India, one thing that is hard to change is the coexistence of modernity with irrationality and obscurantism, has been a hallmark of the country. The economic development of the country has seen a colossal evolution whereas this impediment is set in stones, that makes it less surprising that a huge population of the country blindly follows these godmen. These people readily succumb to the temptations of an unreal world which godmen create by purveying hypocrisy, misrepresentation, fraud, and religiosity in the name of god. We witnessed a repetition of similar incidence when controversial Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was held guilty of raping and sexually exploiting two female disciples by a CBI special court in Panchkula. His followers created violence in several parts of the country killing and injuring a significant number of people. The real problem lies not with Godmen but with self-proclaimed Godmen. Panchkula incident was not the first or the only incidence when a godman was exposed as a fake sadhu or baba, but it has become a trend now. Many renowned babas who were once godmen for populace are now behind the bars, many of them being

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involved in human trafficking, prostitution, rapes and even child and girl abuse. Not just the illiterate or uneducated people, but the ones who have acquired higher qualifications too get under the influence of these babas and suffer afterward. These people have created a strong base but they can be rooted out. We have to make everyone aware with the help of media and social network about these fraud people. India is a country which has always been known for its culture and this image must be maintained forever. We need to regularly examine this unholy nexus because faithless opportunists present as big a threat to a flourishing democracy as crooked godmen. [Word Limit- 400 Words] 11. India’s Poor Ranking in Environmental Performance Index 2018 ah

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India’s failure to check air pollution has made India the fourth worst country in the world in terms of curbing environmental pollution. A report was released by the World Economic Forum recently, according to which India ranks 177th among a total of 180 countries on the Environmental Performance Index 2018. The overall ranking of the countries was based on their performance in the environmental health policy and the deaths due to air pollution categories. The government of India is making regular efforts in order to regulate and control the hazardous emissions from the industries, traffic, and various other man-made objects but this problem of increasing pollution continues to increase and all these efforts by the government fail dramatically to check these environmental conditions.

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In the previous year, the air pollution was declared as an ah

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emergency in Delhi in the month of November. The concentration .w

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of the most harmful air pollutants in the environment had reached ss re

the maximum and made it difficult for the local to breathe the

intensely dense and continued to prevail there for a period of more than a fortnight. Not only Delhi, but there are other metropolitan cities of the country where the status of the environmental vulnerability is more or less the same, the main causes of it being agricultural waste burning, traffic, power plants, chemical emissions from industries, and heating. This environmental vulnerability not only poses the world’s worst environmental health risk but is also becoming one of the major factors leading to a huge number of deaths every year. India’s low scores on Environmental Performance Index, that are as low as 30.57, and fares better than only three countries in the world. The transboundary nature of air and water pollution pose tough challenges at a global level. After having witnessed such low scores on EPI, now, there is a dire need to making national sustainability efforts in a number of fields, improving the air quality, putting a ban on haystack or agricultural waste burning, reducing the harmful emissions from different sources and hence protecting the biodiversity. [Word Limit- 400 Words] 28

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exhaust, and seasonal fires burning agricultural waste was

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natural air. The smog all over the city from power plants, vehicle

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12. Disaster Management in India

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A natural disaster is a severe disruption of the functioning of an ss re

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area or community as everything goes haywire in terms of the

to a standstill as it interrupts essential services, such as health care, electricity, water, sewage/garbage removal, transportation and communications. In India more than 60% areas are prone to floods, around 70% areas are sensitive to droughts and around 10% areas are prone to cyclones. Any of these natural disasters always lead to the loss of life, livelihood, psychological trauma caused to the victims, and many more such negative impacts that have a major and longlasting impact on people long after the immediate effect has been alleviated. Not all the natural disasters can be shut out, but the risk of loss of life and injury can be lessened with strict exodus plans, environmental disasters preparedness, and design standards that comes under Disaster Management (DM) that is also known as Disaster Risk Management (DRM). These are the initiatives undertaken in order to provide a permanent protection from disasters. It offers guiding principles, preferences for action, and effective means for accomplishing disaster resilience for helpless communities. 29

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supply, drainage, etc. Life of the residents of the area almost comes

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destruction of the life support systems like communication, power

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The Government of India passed the Disaster Management Act, the

creation

of

National

Disaster .w

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mandated

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which

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2005

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Management Authority (NDMA) and State Disaster Management ss re

Authorities (SDMA) in order to initiate and execute a unified and

District Collector, Deputy Commissioner or District Magistrate was created to deal with the same at the district level. The act also implemented the formulation of National Institution of Disaster Management (NIDM). Disaster Management has attained great significance in recent times. We need to keep ourselves well-equipped with advanced technologies to reduce the negative repercussions of a disaster and its long-term consequences. An efficient disaster management can only be attained with the co-operation between officials and citizens accompanied with every able individual’s productive part in the addressing the emergencies is the need of the hour. [Word Limit- 400 Words] 13. Urbanization and Smart Cities in India Today, when the world is witnessing urbanization at an unprecedented pace, economic growth has fostered urbanization in India too with a tremendous increase in the number of urban cities and towns. The country has already prepared the ground to take itself to the new heights in terms of urbanization. Within recent years, owing to the initiative of Smart Cities, a process of 30

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District Disaster Management Authority that is headed by the

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integrated strategy to deal with the disasters efficiently in India. A

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developing burgeoning cities into vibrant, environment-friendly ah

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urban areas that provide access to resources and basic amenities to all citizens on an equitable and sustainable basis has been dp

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undertaken by the Indian Government. Several factors play a role in leading to urbanization in India, the

that is the expansion of towns and cities. So, the Government of India decided to make the most of this opportunity and undertook the project of Smart Cities to further thrust the country into urbanization. A great number of smart cities are to be put up in different parts of India under this project. A smart city, as per the Indian Government will be a city with a cutting-edge urban planning, smart infrastructure and replete with systems running on the latest information technologies. Smart Cities Mission that was launched in 2015, promises to transform 109 cities, aims to provide the inhabitants of the cities with an adequate and decent infrastructure, an enhanced standard of living and economic opportunities. As of now, around hundreds of cities have been selected over four to five rounds to be transformed in terms of functioning, the way they look as well as how people have been living their lives over there. The Smart Cities initiative is likely to have a multi-prong effect on real estate. And it will be easier to build new smart cities rather 31

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migration of a huge population towards developed areas. Lately, a third factor has become the major contributor to this urbanization

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major reasons out of which are worldwide urbanization and

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than transforming old ones. However, in the Indian context, ah

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upgrading cities is as imperative, and it may take several years to accomplish it. And, the dream of the smart cities, that will take the dp

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urbanization in India to new heights will be a result of the government as well as the nation, working together in harmony. [Word Limit- 400 Words] 14. Space Programmes of India

Committee for Space Research) under the leadership of Dr. Sarabhai and Dr. Ramanathan in 1962. After a time span of seven years, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) too was formed on August 15, 1969. In the year 1972, the Department of Space (DOS) and the Space Commission were also formed and ISRO was brought under DOS on June 1, 1972. Most of the achievements in space science are made by USSR’s Soviet Space Program and America’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), but after undertaking a number of landmark missions, India’s Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has emerged as a leading space agency which not only registers India’s presence in space science but also leads the world in a range of space missions. India became the first country to successfully complete the mission to Mars in its very first attempt becoming the fourth country to 32

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60’s with the first step being the formation of the Department of Atomic Energy formed the INCOSPAR (Indian National

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In India, the space research activities were initiated during early

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successfully undertake a mission to Mars. ISRO successfully tested ah

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the crew module aboard the GSLV MK3, which will put India in the special group of space cruising nations capable of taking dp

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humans to space. The Chandrayaan-1 mission made the stunning discovery of water on Moon. This February, ISRO created history

NASA launched 29 from a single rocket, but 104 is the biggest number. The Space Programs of India have also contributed to science and science education in India. ISRO’s own Lunar and interplanetary missions along with other scientific projects encourage and promote science education. ISRO endeavors to optimize and enhance its technologies as the needs and ambitions of the country arrive, and is moving forward with the development of heavy-lift launchers, human spaceflight projects, reusable launch vehicles, semi-cryogenic engines, single and two stages to orbit vehicles, development, and use of composite materials for space applications etc. [Word Limit- 400 Words] 15. Role of Media in India Media today plays a crucial role in making the nation aware of various social, political and economic activities happening around the globe. It plays a great role in educating people by means of television, newspapers, magazines, radio, cinema, social networks, 33

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highest number of satellites launched in a single mission was 37, a record that Russia had achieved in 2014. The US space agency

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with the launch of the PSLV-C37/Cartosat-2 series satellite. The

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and through several online portals. It not only plays a vital role in making people socially aware but also caters to the development of a civilized society. India witnessed a major advancement in the role played by the media during the past one decade with the evolution in the field of technology as well as economic reforms. Now that the media has evolved ferociously and has become remarkably active over these years, it indeed has become the entity that has simplified our lives, bridged the gaps, filled all voids and made communication at all levels extremely simplistic, uncomplicated and remarkable. Initially, the role of media was to equip the citizens with unbiased information, without tainting them, and presenting them exactly as they are. But, with the liberalization policy, television channels and newspapers started racing and competing with each other to make fast money in an unethical way. They started to telecast or print the news in a way the public wanted it to be. The standard of journalism began to drop with the increasing competition and the media, that was earlier the voice of the nation is now being condemned for growing into a business that has no social responsibility and principles. The increasing incidences of manipulated news reporting, that is often termed as paid news, some of them especially aimed at influencing electoral results alarmed the Press Council of India too. The Press Council of India then recommended guidelines which say that news should be clearly demarcated from advertisements. News is meant to be objective, fair and unbiased. This is the only ah

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difference between news and opinions. Political parties and media groups had approached the Commission requesting for stringent steps against paid news. As far as news is concerned, it must always carry a credit line and should be set in a fashion that would distinguish it from advertisements. The media is referred to as the fourth estate of democracy and so, every journalist must honestly and consciously make efforts to uplift the standards of journalism and media in India. [Word Limit- 400 Words] 16. Security Threates in India-Terrorism ah

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Terrorism is defined as a deliberate commission of an act of violence to create an emotional response through the sufferings of the victims in the furtherance of a political or social agenda. Terrorism in India poses a significant threat to the people of India and can be subdivided in four major groups including nationalist terrorism, religious terrorism, Marxist terrorism, and narco terrorism i.e. drug violence. According to South Asian Terror Portal (SATP), 180 terrorist groups have operated in India over the last 20 years out of which, many have been co-listed as transnational terror networks operating in or from neighboring South Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. 38 out of these terror groups are banned by India under its First Schedule of the UA(P) Act, 1967 because they have been listed in the current list of terrorist organizations. The United States, as well as European Union, have also listed and banned many of them as of the year 2012.

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India faced a tenth of total terror incidents worldwide in 2013. Such ah

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incidents have a significant and long-lasting negative impact on the .w

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economy of our country. While the main focus of terrorist attacks

restaurants, hotels, railway stations, markets, places of worship, festivals and sporting venues. Terrorist attacks cause loss of life. It also causes suspicion and tension among different ethnic and religious groups, people resort to protest against government or turn to crime and looting in order to survive. It also results in fall of community tourist levels as destinations experience a strongly negative impact on their image and attractiveness. To combat terrorism and internal security threats, Government of India has established the National Intelligence Grid with a purpose to

link

databases

for

collecting

actionable

intelligence.

Amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 in 2008 and 2012 have been done to build up the punitive measures to combat terrorism. The government has also ordered effective border management through round the clock surveillance and patrolling on the border areas. We need to recognize that terroristic groups are absolutely an ideology. In order to deal with terrorist threats, government should undertake hard coercive measures along with a soft political strategy. [Word Limit- 400 Words] 36

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targeted places visited by westerners including public places like

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has been against Indian government interests, terrorists have also

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17. Unemployment in India

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India as a nation is faced with a huge problem of unemployment. ss re

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Unemployment can be defined as a state of worklessness for a man

had predicted that job creation is not expected to rise up in India in 2018 due to a minimal increase in unemployment. One of the most important indicators of the well being of a society is the degree to which it can provide employment to those who need it. The unemployment rate has now become the most important indicator to measure the health of a modern economy. A country with a low unemployment rate provides the nation with a respite from poverty and vulnerability and thereby improving the overall quality of life. Whereas, the increase in unemployment rate, opposingly, slows down the economy and the country’s ability to deal with the economic shocks with poise. The female unemployment rate was 8.7 percent as contrasted to four percent among males says the Fifth Annual Employment Unemployment Survey 2015-16 conducted by the Labour Bureau. This

variation

gets

stiffer

in

urban

areas

where

female

unemployment rises to 12.1 percent. The North Eastern and Southern states represent high female participation opposed to Northern states. 37

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voluntary idleness. A UN Labour report issued in January this year

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fit and voluntary to work. It is a condition of involuntary and not

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Apart from this, many people are working on jobs which do not ah

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allow them to fully utilize their capabilities and they have very low .w

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incomes. Non-availability of jobs matching with an individual’s ss re

education/skill and experience and non-availability of adequate

In the last three years, the Centre has taken several initiatives to empower youth with skills, but there hasn’t been any proven improvement in jobs scenario. Unless unemployment problem is solved, the future of India cannot be radiant. Government needs to pay huge attention towards this as the jobless youth does nothing but indulging in criminal activities to earn living. There will be no harmony and prosperity in the country if jobless people do not find for themselves a proper solution to their unemployment issues. [Word Limit- 400 Words] 18. Caste Based Reservation in India Reservation is defined as the act of reserving, withholding or keeping back, or an arrangement by which arrangements are secured in advance. The system of caste based reservation in India encompasses a series of measures taken in order to reserve access to seats in the various governing bodies, and educational institutions.

It

intendeds

to

favour

historically

under

privileged tribes and castes, listed as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes by the Government of India. 38

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unemployed in our country.

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remuneration are some of the reasons why skilled people are still

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The reservation was undertaken to tackle the historic oppression, ah

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inequality and discrimination faced by members of these .w

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communities. But now-a-days, economically sound people from

benefited of this system don’t even know about their rights and how to claim for it. The benefits of reservation have been denied to people who deserve it the most just because they belong to a caste that comes under unreserved category. Instead, youth from these communities who belong to well-to-do families are found to exploit this reservation system. Reservation must be given to the needy people. Rich people belonging to SC/ST/OBC community must not enjoy the fruits of reservation just because they belong to a lower caste. Steps must be taken by the Indian Government to amend it, revise or change it. Reservation must be given to financially poor people, physically handicapped or widows with no source of income. [Word Limit- 250 Words] 19. Climate Catastrophe The scientists refer to climate catastrophe as sudden temperature increase, unexpected global climate change, irreparable climate change impacts, and large scale singularities. It includes shutdown of the thermohaline, irreversible destabilization of the Greenland 39

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counteracting the spirit of reservations. Those who really need to be

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lower castes make use of most of the reserved seats, thus

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ice sheet that would lead to sea level rise, collapse of West Antarctic ah

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peninsula, and increase in the rate of extinction of species. It is .w

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estimated that nine years from now, warming above the Arctic

severe that a massive extinction event, including humans, could result. Man is accelerating the rate of climate change far past what the influence of the sun or any natural forcer could achieve. Expelling chemicals and foreign substances into the air affects and increases the amount of greenhouse gases, which then absorb more energy from the sun. This results in global warming and climate catastrophe. Greenhouse gas emission is said to be the largest manmade climate forcer as it is so prevalent and large-scale. Vast swatches of primary forests are being wiped out for urbanisation that leads to increased level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, so, deforestation affects climate in a big way. As urban areas grow, so will the number of heat islands, which will drive up the overall atmospheric temperature. Transportation causes about 25 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, so walk, cycle or take transit whenever you can. Adaptation strategies that communities should implement include, diversifying crops and using drip irrigation for agriculture, training 40

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weakened jet stream could lead to global temperature rises so

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Circle could be so extreme that a extremely disrupted and

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public health professionals for increased health impacts and ah

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emerging diseases, developing wildlife conservation plans and new .w

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to

conserve

and

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generate

energy,

and

and resilience. [Word Limit- 300 Words] 20. Demonetisation Demonetisation is the act of stripping a currency unit of its status as legal tender. On November 8, 2016 the government announced a historic measure to demonetize the two largest denomination notes Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000, which constitute 86% of the total cash in circulation. The aim of the action was fourfold: to curb corruption: counterfeiting, the use of high denomination notes for terrorist activities; and especially the accumulation of “black money”, generated by income that has not been declared to the tax authorities. To fulfill the vision, the government announced that notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 were to be deposited in the banks by December 30, 2016, while restrictions were placed on cash withdrawals. Some of the benefits of this reform are tax on black money, crowding out counterfeit notes, higher tax compliance due to formal economy etc. In addition to these immediate benefits, these 41

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demonstrating strategies and lifestyles for increased sustainability

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buildings

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migration corridors to protect endangered species, designing

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are some long term benefits like making Indian economy a lessah

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cash or cash-lite economy. Notwithstanding its long term potential, .w

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etc. Moving

forward,

the

emphasis

must

be

on

maximizing

Demonetisation is benefits while minimizing its costs. First step to be taken immediately is to replenish the cash shortage. In medium term, the impetus provided to digitization must continue. For higher tax compliance taxation regime must be simple and predictable like GST. Hence, if we compare the merits with demerits, it will be safe to conclude that former outweighs the latter. [Word Limit- 250 Words] 21. Electronic Voting Machines Electronic Voting Machines (“EVM”) manufactured in 1989-90, are being used in Indian General and State Elections to implement electronic voting, and can record a maximum of 3840 votes. EVMs were

first

used

on

experimental

basis

in

16

Assembly

Constituencies in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and NCT of Delhi at the General Elections to the respective Legislative Assemblies held in November, 1998. The cost per EVM saves costs and time of production and printing of ballot papers. EVMs are easier to transport compared to ballot boxes, vote counting is faster, illiterate and physically handicapped 42

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people find EVMs easier than ballot paper system, and false voting ah

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is greatly reduced. EVMs run on an ordinary 6 volt alkaline battery .w

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therefore, EVMs can be used in areas with no power connections. ss re

The Indian EVMs are purposely designed as stand-alone units to

limitations too. As we all know that EVM is ultimately a machine and the trouble with technology is that no matter how much data it records but a single virus can destroy the entire data storage. Although a simple and unconditionally secure protocol for electronically transmitting the results exists, the control units do not transmit their results back to the Election Commission. EVMs need to constantly evolve in order to remain secure and workable under any condition while at the same time keeping its operations simple just as any other machine. We should seek to improve the use of EVMs and to secure them better instead of calling them faulty machines which are being deliberately manipulated by a pliant system, as they are being used for the past two decades and improvements are being made to them by the ECI. [Word Limit- 300 Words] 22. Farmers’ Suicide in India India is an agrarian country with around two third of its population making living from the land. Around 66 per cent of rural laborers are dependent on agricultural activities for their 43

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Apart from all the benefits of EVMs, there are a few numbers of

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avert any intrusion during electronic transmission of results.

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income. It is estimated that more than 250,000 Indian farmers killed ah

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themselves in past sixteen years. The year 2004 recorded the .w

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highest number of farmer suicide which was 18,241. Percentage of ss re

farmer suicide is around 11.2% off all suicides in India.

high debt burdens, government policies, mental health, personal issues and family problems. Farmers receive minimal financial support

from

the

government,

forcing

them

to

turn

to

moneylenders, who charge up to 20-50% interest on a four-month loan. Many farmers took their own lives by drinking the very pesticides that no longer work on their crops. The government of India took a number of steps to provide debt relief to farmers, improve supply of institutional credit, improve irrigation facilities, and introduce subsidiary income opportunities through horticulture, livestock, dairy and fisheries. Experts and social service personnel were employed to look into the causes of farmers’ suicide and farm related distress, and to provide farming support services. But these government relief packages have been ineffective, misdirected and flawed. The money lenders continue to offer loans at high interest rates, while income generating potential of the land 44

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conflicting reasons for farmer suicides, such as monsoon failure,

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Why farmers are killing themselves? Studies found a number of

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the farmer works on has remained low and subject to weather ah

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conditions. The government should understand that a more lasting .w

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relief to farmer distress can only come from reliable income

maintaining reliable irrigation and other agriculture infrastructure is necessary to deal with farmer distress in India. [Word Limit: 300 words] 23. GIFT CITY GIFT i.e. Gujarat International Finance Tec-City is a planned financial Central Business District between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar as a greenfield development. GIFT aspires to provide to India’s large monetary services potential by presenting to global organisations a top-notch infrastructure and amenities. It aims to create a center of attention for the top talent in the country by providing the premium lifestyle. It is probable that GIFT would provide 500,000 direct and an equal number of indirect jobs which would require 5.76 million square meter of real estate office and residential area. The vision for GIFT is to develop a new set-up for globally benchmarked Integrated City, propose a road map for fast track progress and accomplishment, make the city scalable in each and every aspect for a distant future, derive the city format from fast 45

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infrastructure security. A more pro-active role in creating and

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sources, higher crop yields per hectare, irrigation and other

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changing lifestyles and new technologies, and achieve an image of ah

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Global city, that keeps pace with modern technologies. GIFT offers .w

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well-developed areas of infrastructure with built up space, power, ss re

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GIFT city will provide safe and clean environment; satisfy food, shelter, and educational needs; and employment opportunities for youth. It will also provide a viable advantage in terms of tax structure and supportive regulatory framework. It will also provide benefits in security transaction tax, commodity transaction tax, dividend distribution tax and long term capital gain tax waivers and no income tax. GIFT City can also become a price setter in several financial instruments. [Word Limit- 250 Words] 24. Global Warming Global warming is defined ass a sustained increase in the average temperature of earth’s atmosphere which is sufficient to cause climatic changes. Over the past 100 years, the average temperature of the Earth has risen between 0.4 and 0.8 °C and scientists believe that that average global temperatures could increase between 1.4 and 5.8 °C by the year 2100. The term global warming is associated with green house effect, and an increase in the amount of green house gases in the earth’s atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is the phenomenon by which a 46

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infrastructure facilities.

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planet is warmed by its lower atmosphere and surface due to ah

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absorption and emission of infrared radiations by gases in its .w

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atmosphere. Solid and liquid particles known as aerosols, produced om

the main causes of global warming. Global Warming has contributed to some of the observed changes, including sea level rise due to long-term melting of ice sheets, changes in the number of warm and cold days, declines in Arctic sea ice extent, glacier retreat, ocean acidity caused by increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. Indian government employed many policies and committees to counteract the effects of global warming. Their tasks include the preparation of seasonal calendars to predict the climatic disasters, mapping the risks faced by the community and taking actions to prevent them. Global warming continues to increase, despite the steps taken by the Indian government. To cope up with the effects of global warming, meticulous steps to prevent the disasters caused by global warming are required. The country needs to have a better technical understanding, capacity building, networking and expansive consultation processes covering every section of the society. And this requires the active participation of the government, and people as well. [Word Limit- 300 Words] 47

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by volcanoes and manmade pollutants, too are thought to be one of

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25. Globalisation

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Globalisation describes a process or an action of international integration of countries arising from the exchange of world views, commodities, ideas, and other aspects of culture by which national and regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through the global network of trade, communication, immigration and transportation. The phenomenon has intensified competition and interdependence between economies in the global market leading to an overall rate of growth of India’s economy in the global arena. Globalization has resulted in financial consolidation, growth in foreign exchange reserve, increased foreign investment and to a considerable extent, control of inflation. It has also created employment opportunities as multinational companies are now making big investments in India. On the other hand, globalization has also contributed to the suffering of low-income groups resulting in poor health, deplorable working conditions and bondage. Humans have turned into machines because of the need to amplify returns and be competitive in the global market. Agricultural sector is also facing the negative impacts of globalisation as the plight of farmers has been worsened by globalization owing to the need to increase production to meet the growing demand from the global markets. Globalization has led to the spread of western-style democratic system that has been accompanied by an increase in inter-ethnic tension and brutality as free market economic strategies combine with democratic processes of worldwide suffrage as well as an increase in militarization to impose democratic principles and as a means to clash resolution, creating both winners and losers. [Word Limit- 250 Words]

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26. Indo-Pak Relations

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South Asia consists of two nations which are neighbours not by .w

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choice but by geography. These are India and Pakistan. Since their

partition that encouraged each to define itself in opposition to the other. The geo-political rivalry of India and Pak has roots in the communal partition of both the nations. In the middle, lies the real problem, that is Kashmir. For India, Kashmir is an integral part, while for Pak, it is a land which has Islamic majority and hence, it belongs to Pak. The World Community got involved in this matter when Kashmir Issue was referred to the UN Security Council by India as a complaint against Pakistan. Pakistan filed a counter-complaint in the UN. UN Security Council ordered cease-fire and passed resolution for holding a plebiscite in Kashmir to decide the fate of Kashmir. Till date plebiscite could not take place in Kashmir. Then comes a phase of 90s decade when terrorism was at it’s peak and it was preceded by the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. Both the countries became nuclear powers in late nineties and soon after that the Kargil war broke out which enlarged the rift between the two. With terrorist attacks in New Delhi and Mumbai, relationship between the two countries got further worsened. 49

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multiple wars. India and Pakistan were birthed out of a bloody

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independence in 1947, both of these nations have a history of

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In the wake of recent military tensions between Pakistan-India over ah

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cross-border firings and beheadings and Kulbhushan Jadhav’s .w

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unfair sentencing, it is of utmost importance to defuse tensions by ss re

bringing both sides together to discuss the impasse, leading to a

terrorism. [Word Limit- 300 Words] 27. Intolerance “The highest result of education is tolerance.” These words by Helen Keller show us that there is a direct relation between a civilised tolerant society & education. Tolerance to inhuman practices is an age old phenomenon in this society. Human beings who have to be rational must be intolerant to irrational practices and events, but not to the extent where they become violent & harm other people. We can understand more about this sensitive issue by recalling the Salman Rushdie’s incident. He was not allowed to attend the Jaipur Literature Festival.

Even foreign litterateurs who read certain

quotes from Satanic Verses were asked to leave the fest & country immediately. Next in the row was the incident of Taslima Nasreen’s boycott that showed the ugly face of rising intolerance to one’s thought in our masses. This bane is not confined in the periphery of a certain religion or caste or sect but is widespread to 50

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to Pak’s negligence in accepting it’s failure in curbing cross-border

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resumption of a peace dialogue which is quite impossible task due

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every religion caste & creed. The recent case of lynching of people ah

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by cow vigilantes is also an incident that has drawn the attention of .w

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world media over the rising intolerance in India. This rise of ss re

intolerance has maligned the image of our nation all across the

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To curb these incidents of intolerance there must be stricter laws so that the culprits could be punished. But it would be very difficult for the lawmakers of the country to define the ambit of crimes of this type. The rise in intolerance has not been a sudden shift but was already prevalent in our society. So, it’s wrong to say that the government could ignite the spirits of intolerance in a society. We could head towards a better future by being more tolerant society. [Word Limit- 300 Words] 28. Ransomware Attacks WannaCry Ransomware Attack Ransomware is a malicious software, designed to block the access to any computer system, holding the owner to ransom till the demanded sum of money is paid. Ransomware often infiltrates a PC as a computer worm or Trojan horse that takes advantage of open

security

vulnerabilities. A

crypto-ransomware,

called

WannaCry or WannaCrypt affected more than 150 countries, including India. It has already affected major businesses and organisations, including FedEx, Renault and Britain’s National Health Service. 51

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globe.

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A Japanese electronics maker Hitachi, a prominent Korean theatre ah

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chain and Chinese government reported that their systems had .w

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been affected. Chinese state media reported that 40,000 businesses

Britain, were forced to turn ambulances away and cancel or delay cancer treatments for patients over the weekend. Ransomware encrypts most of the user files on a Windows PC with virtually unbreakable encryption. A message is posted on the computer’s screen informing the user that he must pay a ransom in the online cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Two countdown clocks on the screen tell the user how much time remains before the ransom is doubled. Keeping Windows or our PC up-to-date with the latest security enhancements, antivirus software can prevent malware from infecting our computer. We should avoid clicking links inside dubious emails and download anything from a not so trusted source. And whenever something unlikely happens our data backup can save us, so store your data somewhere else too, it can be stored in any secondary media storage like a physical hard drive. The banks should update the Microsoft patch as this would help India’s banking system to insulate against potential threats. [Word Limit- 300 Words] 52

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electronic consequences of WannaCry. Health care providers in

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and institutions have been hit. And that’s mere a measure of the

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Locky Ransomware Attack

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After WannaCry, Judy Malware, Locky Ransomware has proven that the global ransomware epidemic unquestionably isn’t going to dissolve anytime soon. Locky ransomware which spreads through spam emails demanded a ransom of half Bitcoin, which at present rate is equivalent to over Rs 1.5 lakh. The system infected by Locky Ransomware were locked or encrypted with random numbers with extension “.lukitus” or “.diablo6”. Victims were then asked to install the Onion Router Network (TOR) browser, which took users to a decryption service if they pay the ransom. In order to keep our data protected, one must be wary of any suspicious emails and pop-ups, store his/her data in any secondary media storage like a physical hard drive and keep the Windows or PC up-to-date with the latest security enhancements and antivirus software. [Word Limit- 150 Words] 29. Sexual Harassment

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Sexual harassment can be defined as unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. The legal definition of sexual harassment includes requests for sexual favours, sexual advances or other sexual conduct when 1. submission is either explicitly or implicitly a condition affecting academic or employment decisions; 2. the behaviour is sufficiently severe or pervasive as to create an intimidating, hostile or repugnant environment; or 3. the behaviour persists despite objection by the person to whom the conduct is directed.

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There are two types of sexual harassment, ‘quid pro quo’ and ‘hostile environment’. Quid pro quo means ‘this for that’. It occurs when it is stated or implied that an educational or employment decision about a scholar or worker depends upon whether the scholar or worker submits to conduct of a sexual nature. Later takes place when unwanted conduct of a sexual nature creates an frightening, bullying or abusive working or environment or is so harsh, persistent or invasive that it affects a person’s ability to participate in any activity. The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013 introduced changes to the Indian Penal Code, making sexual harassment an expressed offence under Section 354 A, which is punishable up to three years of imprisonment and or with fine. Sexual assault can also be prevented by secondary school, college, and workplace education and training programmes about sexual harassment. Not only government, but everyone should make equal efforts to create a harassment free environment for all. [Word Limit- 250 Words] ah

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe laid the foundation for a high-speed train network. Japan has offered to grant India a soft loan of Rs 88,000 crore at an interest of 0.1 per cent. The bullet train project brings with it several hopeful possibilities, but there exist obstacles which might limit them. 54

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India has crawled nearer to getting a bullet train of its own after

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30. Bullet Trains

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This will promote economic growth. Smaller cities along the way can also be connected with high-speed transportation facility to these economic centers by the bullet train network. The bullet train project will bring employment too as the bullet train project is expected to create a huge number of direct as well as indirect job opportunities. A huge number of construction workers will also be employed during the construction period of Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train. New bullet train stations set to come up along the route will invite urban growth. On the other hand, there are some challenges lying ahead. Acquiring new land pieces for laying down the tracks for bullet trains and constructing new stations might face legal hindrances, delaying the process. The origin stations, Ahmedabad and Mumbai, have airports and passengers from these cities could consider taking a flight instead of boarding the bullet train. It’s a very big step towards the development of this country. The profits this project make will decide how easy or difficult it will be for India to look further with the bullet trains. [Word Limit- 250 Words] 31. Can India go Cashless Personal internet banking is growing more popular in India over the preceding few years along with digital payment alternatives that allow users to settle mobile phone, electricity and even taxi and restaurant bills. The recent explosion of growth has come from non-bank organizations advancing payment aids. Telecom companies like Airtel and Vodafone offer facilities to transfer money using ah

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cellphones, while mobile wallet companies like Paytm unit, and MobiKwik, permit users to save money digitally and pay through their policies. Indian banks are also encouraging people to go cashless by using online banking and mobile apps assistance. What is fuelling this optimism of India going cashless is that India is the second largest market for smartphones after China. The key task to attain cashless economy will be to retain customers that switched to cashless payments in recent the days of demonetization. [Word Limit- 150 Words] 32. Can Loan Waivers Benefit Farmers ah

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Recently, extensive requests have been heard for farm loan waivers amid the enduring agrarian crisis. The ultimate purpose of farm loan waiver is to reduce the debt strain of distressed and helpless farmers and help them qualify for fresh loans. The progress of the loan waiver lies on the extent to which the benefits reach the poor and penniless farmers. Loan waivers have certain drawbacks if we talk about their benefits reaching to the ones who need them for real. Loan waivers generally reach to only a small section of farmers. According to a survey in 2012-13, 48% of the agricultural families did not have any notable loan. Moreover, out of the indebted agricultural families, about 39% borrowed it entirely from non-institutional sources. The farmers funding from their personal savings and those borrowing from non-institutional sources are equally vulnerable to weather and market uncertainties. But all such families are outside the reach of loan waivers.

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To render quick assistance to the poor farmers, a more extensive alternative strategy is to recognize the weak farmers on the basis of certain criteria and give an equivalent sum as an economic support to the helpless and distressed families. Advanced technology, augmentation of irrigation coverage and crop diversification towards high-value crops are relevant actions for boosting productivity and farmers’ revenue. Agrarian crisis and farmers’ earnings can be addressed in a healthier fashion if States begin and honestly execute long-pending reforms in the farming division with seriousness. [Word Limit- 250 Words] 33. Challenges after Implementation of GST ah

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India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST), is being called a ‘game changer’ for its influence on business. Like every other thing, all is not tranquil sailing for GST and there are some obvious challenges for businesses and consumers. Some of the challenges are: GST preparedness among clients is missing, there is a lack of clarity on GST provisions that are its rules and regulations, increased compliance with increase in the number of returns to be filed annually, lack of skilled resources and need for re-skilling, complexity in determining the nature of transaction, no clarity on tax holidays, and many more. Most small businesses in India do not employ tax professionals and have traditionally preferred to pay taxes and file returns on their own to save costs. But now, they will require professional assistance to become GST compliant as it is a completely different system. While this will benefit the professionals, the small businesses will have to bear the added cost of hiring experts. So, it has multiple consequences in this way that are both positive and negative in some or the other way.

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Change is definitely never easy. The government is trying to smoothen the road to GST. The government is trying to lessen the strain of compliance for businesses also. It is important to take a leaf from global economies that have implemented GST before us, and who succeeded the difficulties to experience the benefits of having a unified tax system and easy input credits. ah

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Cooperative federalism is a concept in which national, state and local governments interact cooperatively and collectively to solve common problems, rather than making policies separately but more or less equally. It deals with the liaison between the union and state governments concerning legislature, administration, and economy. Whereas Competitive federalism is a concept where center competes with states and vice-versa, and states compete with each other in their joint efforts to develop India. Cooperative and competitive federalism are not mutually exclusive. They have the same basic principle underlying. i.e. the development of the country. The competition solely cannot give the best results. It is competition with the cooperation that will make the difference. To bring competition, the center should cooperate with the states by providing essential sovereignty in their strategymaking and allocating them the required funds. There has to be a steadiness between cooperative and competitive federalism. [Word Limit- 150 Words]

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[Word Limit- 250 Words] 34. Cooperative and Competitive Federalism

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35. Corporal Punishment

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Delhi high court had ruled that corporal punishment undermines ss re

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the dignity of a student in the year 2001, much before Right to

year later, describes physical or mental harassment as illegal and punishable under sections 17(1) and 17(2). CBSE in its letters and warnings to the schools referred to the Act concerning the repercussions seen on the child’s mental health on being subjected to such harassment which include, increased aggressive attitude, behavior resembling destruction, diminished self-esteem, degraded confidence and concentration strength and other severe injuries. If students are observed annoying other children in class, lying, stealing, causing damage or harm to others etc, the school can discipline him/her by having a clear protocol to supervise teachers about which situation needs assessment and intrusion by a school counsellor and which one needs urgent intimation to higher authorities at school and the guardians. If an effort at settling the problem is not satisfying, he/she could be suggested to see a child counselor. The counselor would help children acquire habits that encourage them to grow a sense of self-discipline. [Word Limit- 200 Words] 59

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in the year 2009. The 2009 Act, which came into force on April 1 a

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Education (RTE) made corporal punishment a punishable offense

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36. Cryptocurrency: Is it safe?

ah

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grown

to

be

a

global or

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have

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cryptocurrencies

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Nowadays

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phenomenon. While it is not understood by common people,

a means of transfer of currency using cryptography to secure the transactions and to control the production of extra units of the currency. Cryptocurrencies are categorized as a subset of digital currencies, alternative currencies, and virtual currencies. Bitcoin became the first decentralized cryptocurrency in 2009. Since then, various cryptocurrencies have been created. Bitcoin and its derivatives use decentralized control as opposed to centralized electronic money or banking systems. The decentralized control is linked to the application of bitcoin’s blockchain transaction database in the role of distributed entries. Concerns about the safety of the cryptocurrency have continued to shadow it. In 2016, almost 120,000 bitcoin were stolen from Hong Kong-based Bitfinex, one of the famous cryptocurrency exchanges, which resulted in a 20% decline in the value of the currency at that time. The currency itself is secure, but the obstacle surrounds businesses in the industry and the wallets where the bitcoin are stored. Unfortunately, IT security is a real-world issue, not just for bitcoin but within any application that works on technology. 60

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importance. A cryptocurrency is a digital asset invented to work as

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banks, governments, and many companies are aware of its

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Just like online banking, people need to take care of bitcoin account ah

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credentials. Either they should secure their bitcoin themselves or .w

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with a third party like Coinfloor, the safest way to go is to save the

37. Digital Banking’s Adverse Effect on Banking Industry There are always two sides to a coin. Digital Banking too has some negatives associated with it. Digital Banking has risks associated with credit, interest rate, transaction, etc. that may have an adverse impact on a bank’s operations as well as earnings. Now, in the era of digital banking, customers can reach the banks from anywhere in the world. It becomes challenging for a bank to deal with out-of-area borrowers. The Internet provides all transactions to happen in real time. The administration must, therefore, be prepared for instant transitions and consequently quick resolutions. Banks that propose financial products and services through the Internet must be prepared to meet their customer’s expectations. Banks must also guarantee they have the capacity to render valid, timely, and reliable services to acquire a high level of faith in their brand name. Also, transactions such as working capital loan applications are more detailed and individual discussions may be required. In such cases, the absence of a physical channel might prove to be a problem. When blended with other channels, Internet banking becomes an efficacious mechanism for boosting customer satisfaction and increasing cross-selling opportunities. But at the same time, banks 61

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[Word Limit- 250 Words]

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security credentials offline.

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must bear it in mind that, every electronic channel including the Internet has its shortfalls which can have significant outcomes. Keeping a record of the ever-changing banking industry and the latest update in Internet technology, banks actually need to equip themselves for the competition. [Word Limit- 250 Words] 38. Doklam Issue ah

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Doklam is an area with a plateau and a valley, lying between Tibet’s Chumbi Valley to the north, Bhutan’s Ha Valley to the east and India’s Sikkim state to the west. As per Bhutan and India, it is owned by Bhutan but China says it belongs to her. The conflict has not been settled despite of numerous rounds of border consultations between Bhutan and China. China attempted to extend a road on the Doklam Plateau southwards near the Doka La pass, Bhutan opposed China’s road construction in the disputed stretch. In June 2017, Indian troops on behalf of Bhutan, moved in to prevent the Chinese and a military standoff occurred between China and India because of the same. There was a risk of a war as neither side wanted to back down. India told China that it would not attend the BRICS Summit that was supposed to be held in China if it doesn’t stop the road construction over the disputed stretch. So, delegates of both the countries met and China promised to stop the construction work. The two parties agreed to respect each other’s concerns manage sensitive issues to avoid their impedance to the normal development of bilateral relations. [Word Limit- 200 Words]

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39. Gender Equality and Sustainable Development

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Women in our country always had to fight for their rights. Whether .w

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they were the asymmetrical impacts of the Industrial Revolution or

genders. Women were not considered fit to govern in the past. Most of them have been confined to the domestic households for ages. It is important for all the developed and developing countries of the world to have the female engagement as it not only promotes the management systems but also paves the way for innovative advancement approaches enhancing the economic sustainability. Gender

equality

and

sustainable

development,

both

have

significant political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental angles. Any development will not bear fruits there is a fair distribution of the benefits and resources. A more accommodative and fair education system, sensible legislations and policies, social awareness, and most importantly, recognition of the rights of women and their strict enforcement, need to be taken up on an urgent basis. The greater the level of equity, the closer we move towards the goal of attaining absolute harmony between sustainable development and gender equality. [Word Limit- 200 Words] 63

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have always been playing a role of victim in this unequal battle of

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the present day conflicts over economic and social fairness, women

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40. NEET: Boon or Bane

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The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) has been reintroduced under the ‘one nation, one exam’ theory. The Supreme Court forced a rule that the All India Pre-Medical Test would be treated as the first stage of NEET and there would be no more State Exams. Some people think that every state has its own challenges to face and therefore, the method of evaluating diverse students with a single yardstick is inappropriate while others have an opinion that the reintroduction of NEET in Chennai has become an added advantage for medical aspirants as they will not have to go through the arduous admission process where private colleges charge a huge sum of money. The need of the hour is that the Joint Entrance Examinations should be conducted in a way that consistency is brought in the education systems and corruption is eliminated from this hallowed division. [Word Limit- 150 Words] 41. Prompt Corrective Action

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banks which are weak and troubled. PCA norms allow the regulator to place certain restrictions such as halting branch expansion and stopping dividend payment. It can even cap a bank’s lending limit to one entity or sector. Other corrective actions that can be imposed on banks include special audit, restructuring operations and activation of the recovery plan. Banks’ promoters 64

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points to assess, monitor, control and take corrective actions on

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To ensure that banks don’t fail, RBI has put in place some trigger

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can be asked to bring in new management, too. The RBI can also ah

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supersede the bank’s board, under PCA. The provisions of the .w

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There are three risk thresholds which are based on certain levels of asset quality, profitability, capital and the like. The third such threshold, which is maximum tolerance limit, sets net NPA at over 12 percent and negative return on assets for four consecutive years. Banks are not entitled to renew or access costly deposits or take actions to increase their fee-based income. Banks will also have to start a special drive to lessen the stock of NPAs and include generation of fresh NPAs. They will also not be permitted to enter into new channels of business. RBI will also impose limitations on the bank on borrowings from the interbank market. [Word Limit- 250 Words] 42. Right to Privacy The right to privacy is a component of various legal customs to circumscribe government and private actions that imperil the privacy of people. The right to privacy broadly encompasses personal autonomy, the freedom to make choices and the right to determine what happens with information about oneself.

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The PCA is invoked when certain risk thresholds are breached.

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financials of the banks for the year ended March 31, 2017.

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revised PCA framework effective April 1, 2017, based on the

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The judgment will have a significant influence on the government’s ah

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Aadhaar scheme, which obtains personal details and biometrics to .w

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identify recipients for obtaining social interests and government 2015

challenging

Aadhaar

as

a

violation

of

privacy,

informational self-determination and human integrity. Even though

six

judges

delivered

distinct

judgments,

it

was

unanimously held that the right to privacy is preserved as an “intrinsic part of the right to life and right to personal liberty under Article 21” and also as a component of the other freedoms promised in the chapter of fundamental rights. With technological progressions, the right to privacy would grow. Over the last 40 years, the Supreme Court has repeatedly protected citizens against unwarranted intrusion into his right to privacy. The interplay of technological advances and the right to privacy in the digital age needs to be closely scrutinized. [Word Limit- 200 Words] 43. Rohingyas Thousands of Rohingya have been escaping from Myanmar, after the August 25 violence in Western Myanmar. Rohingya are an ethnic group, mainly comprising Muslims, who predominantly dwell in the Western Myanmar province of Rakhine. 66

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in

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welfare schemes. A few petitions were filed in the Supreme Court

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The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a group previously known as Harakah al-Yaqin, stimulated an attack in which at least 59 of the insurgents and 12 security personnel in Myanmar were killed. The ARSA is an armed guerilla outfit, which is active since 2016, claiming to fight for a democratic Muslim state for the Rohingya. The group has been targeting Myanmar armed forces. Bangladesh and India have also claimed ARSA is creating problems in their soil too. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, there are approximately 40,000 Rohingyas living in India. They have reportedly reached India from Bangladesh through the land route over the years. MoS Home Affairs recently notified the parliament that all the Rohingyas in India were illegal emigrants and they will be exiled soon. The decision has been astonishing to many because of the historical record of India accepting refugees. A case is pending in Supreme Court with the applicant asking the Union government to stop with its deportation procedures. [Word Limit- 200 Words] 44. Rural Urban Divide ah

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of people shifting to the developed cities in recent times is due to 67

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negligence of rural areas in the country. The main cause of inrush

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In India, the rural areas are ignored not only by governments and wealthy individuals who can make a difference but also by international aid agencies. They lack far behind in education and health facilities. Even the local humanitarianism programmes tend to ignore them. The principal cause leading rural to urban immigration is the

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the lack or absence of income-generating projects, health and ah

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education facilities in the rural areas.

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Investing in the health and education of people in rural regions is ss re

the need of the hour to bridge the rural urban divide that can be

unemployment in rural areas. [Word Limit- 150 Words] 45. Triple Talaq There have been instances in which Muslim men in India have divorced their wives by announcing the triple talaq by letter, telephone and, increasingly, by text message, WhatsApp and Skype. The issue has drawn media attention in the past two years since a Muslim organization, Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA), launched a campaign to ban triple talaq. Most Islamic countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, have banned triple talaq, but the custom continued in India, which did not have a uniform set of laws on marriage and divorce that apply to every citizen. Supreme court then ruled that triple talaq is unconstitutional in the month of August. Muslim women had been living with the fear of instant divorce swaying over their heads like a sword. The judgement is a huge victory for Muslim women. [Word Limit- 150 Words] 68

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economic development and focusing on reduction in poverty and

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attained by ensuring facilities and services, stimulating local

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46. World War III

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The 20th Century was marked with two major incidents that shook .w

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the whole world. Every major power was trying to prove their

chances of such clashes in the future. Although there have been no such clashes in the 2nd half of 20th Century, but no one can ignore the possibility. The biggest crisis now is to identify the form in which the war will be fought. This era is called the Information Age. Yet it is possible that future conflict between the great powers may take the form of another cold war or even a conventional war. In the 21st century, there are three key fronts emerging as the loci for future wars. The first is the Europe-Russia front with a new cold war triggered by the Ukrainian conflict. The second is the Middle East cauldron centred around Isis and the Syrian war. The third is the Asia-Pacific front with a face-off between the United States and China. God forbid such situation which may endanger the existence of Human Beings on this beautiful planet. We need to acknowledge the real trends in motion and the real risks that loom, so that we can take mutual steps to avoid the mistakes that could create such an epic fail of deterrence and diplomacy. That way we can keep the next world war where it belongs, in the realm of fiction. [Word Limit- 250 Words] 69

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named United Nations was developed with the vision to reduce the

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Supremacy in the World. Amid all these disturbances, a new body

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47. Smog in Delhi

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Delhi Smog, the hottest issue has taken over not only healthy life style of Delhiite but drawn attention nationwide. Delhi is facing heavy pollution issues due to various reasons, mainly from the burning of agricultural garbage. It has been observed that air pollution levels stayed tremendously high, with a layer of smog enveloping the city. It has posed serious threat on human lives in and around the national capital, hence it needs to be taken seriously. Smog refers to a combination of smoke and fog. Thus forming the word smog. It is a complex mixture that is formed by various pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides and dust particles, which interact with the sunlight to form ground-level ozone, leading to the build-up of haze that hangs in industrial cities. Smog is caused as a result of industrial activities, vehicular traffic, sunlight and calmer winds. These factors contribute to an all-encompassing smog, which can remain trapped in the atmosphere. Exposure to smog can be severely harmful for the health as it can aggravate health conditions like Chest Infections/Irritation which can affect our respiratory system in an adverse way, leading to cough and lung infections. Smog reduces one’s immunity to cold and can cause irritation in the eyes, and is a direct contributor to an increased risk of premature mortality. Besides, impacting humans negatively, smog can also cause damage to forests and crops. In order to prevent or reduce it to an alleviated level, shutting

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particulate matter. Solar powered heaters with battery backup can

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down of a power plant in no way can reduce the issue of

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be provided to urban poor and lower income groups to avoid ah

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burning of waste and other organic matter. The governments of .w

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Delhi, Punjab and Haryana should fund the setting up rural bio— ss re

digesters that pay farmers a price that would make the delivery for

dust-monitoring mechanism by local pollution boards with provision of heavy penalty on violation of permissible limits. Currently Delhi needs a consistent pollution control strategy to keep life under control throughout the year. (Word Limit- 400 words) SOME OTHER KEY POINTS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT "DELHI SMOG" Delhi is surrounded by hills of Haryana and the plains of the Yamuna. These hills are totally barren and their forests are nonexistent due to incessant industrial wastes, their ability to act like natural carbon absorbers is now ruined. Children are more prone to getting affected by smog and vulnerable to asthma and other respiratory ailments. And people who frequently stay outdoors are more susceptible to the harms of ozone. Shutting down of polluting industries, restricting interstate traffic and regulating city traffic, can play a cardinal role in assuaging the conditions leading to smog. 71

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and compost. In addition to that, each construction site should have

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crop residue and other biomass that can be converted into methane

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48. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

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Mahatma Gandhi once stated that: “Sanitation is more important than Independence”. He very well understood that sanitation and cleanliness are integral parts of healthy and peaceful lives. A pollution free clean India would be the best tribute to the nation. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is a cleanliness mass movement organized by the government of India and takes into action by the honorable Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. This is the most valuable expedition which everyone must be aware of for the bright future of India. This program was launched officially on 2nd October 2014 at Raj Ghat, New Delhi, under the name ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’. Also referred to as Swachh Bharat Campaign or Clean India drive or Clean India Mission in the memory of great Indian freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi’s 145th birthday. The government of India has aimed to make India a clean India by 2nd of October 2019 (means 150th birth anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi) through this campaign.The mission has targeted aims like eliminating the open defecation, Construct individual, cluster and community toilets, eradicating manual scavenging, complete disposal and reuse of solid and liquid wastes, bringing behavioral changes to people and motivate health practices, spreading cleanliness awareness among people, strengthening the cleanliness systems in the urban and rural areas as well as creating user friendly environment for all private sectors interested for investing in India for cleanliness maintenance and to present this country as an ideal country before the world.

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By the completion of the cleanliness program, it would indirectly ah

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draw the attention of business investors in India and also tourists .w

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attraction would be more from all over the world. This would ss re

afford a more serious outcome economic growth of India. The

cooperation of the citizens of India, all these drives failed to make a strong impact but efforts are still in the progress by some altruistic citizens of the country. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan can only be completely successful, if each and every Indian takes up this campaign as his/her own responsibility and join hands together to make it a triumphant mission. (Word Limit- 400 Words) SOME OTHER IMPORTANT KEY POINTS REGARDING "SWACHH BHARAT ABHIYAN" 1. On 2 October, 2014, Modi nominated nine celebrities from various fields to propagate the mission. The nominated personalities included, Anil Ambani, Baba Ramdev, Kamal Hassan, Priyanka Chopra, Sachin Tendulkar, Salman Khan, Shashi Tharoor and others. 2. Various brand ambassadors are nominated by the Prime Minister to this event to induce it a successful campaign. This mission facilitates the participation of private sectors towards cleanliness program. 73

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health expenses and lethal disease rate. Due to the half-hearted

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Swachh Abhiyan can play a great role in reducing death rate,

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3. To give a boost to the project, the government has sought financial and technical support from the World Bank. Also, all big corporates and private organizations are asked to join the movement as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. 4. According to government data, in January 2015, 7.1 lakh individual household toilets have been built under this dream project. So far, Karnataka is the best performer by achieving 61% of the target while Punjab is the worst performer by achieving 5% of the target. ah

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Female foeticide takes place when a foetus is aborted after it is determined to be female. Under this illegal practice, the sex of the unborn child is determined by using the technique of ultrasound and if it happens to be a female foetus, it is aborted through medicine or surgery. It is one of the most rampant social evils in the country rooted in the patriarchal mindset where boys are preferred over girls for various irrational reasons, not only in rural but urban areas too. To carry forward the generation, families in general prefer the birth of sons over daughters. The male child is also desired by the Hindu family to perform the last rites of father in the absence of whom, it is believed that the father wouldn’t attain salvation after death. In most traditional conservative families, a girl child is more or less considered a liability or a burden, due to the frequent demands of huge sum in the form of dowry at the time of her marriage.

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49. Female Foeticide : Root Causes, Practices and Prevention

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To stop the evil practice of female foeticide, strict punishment in the form of fine or jail to the person requesting abortion of the unborn girl child is prescribed under Prenatal Diagnostics Techniques (PNDT) Act. Simultaneously the practitioner who helps in sex determination for this purpose is also required to be punished equally. But Law has been unable to curb the misuse of ultrasound machines by unscrupulous operators. However, the winds of change have now started blowing in the society with girls doing well in diverse professions, which were considered malebastions up until now, such as boxing, wrestling, armed forces etc. ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ has become a countrywide movement. Fortunately, a growing number of medical practitioners have now rallied themselves against the sex selective abortions. These positive changes are very encouraging for the development of the nation and will also help in correcting the skewed male-female ratio in many states of the country, as the society is now beginning to realize the importance of the girl child with the result that equal opportunities of nutrition, health, education and employment are now available to women. (Word Limit- 400 Words) 50. Saubhagya Scheme ah

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Saubhagya, to provide electricity connections to over 4 crore families in rural and urban areas by December 2018. As of now around 99.5% of Six lakh villages have been electrified. Government will provide free electricity to all under privileged households identified under Socio-Economic and Caste Census 75

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Rs. 16,320-Crore Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, or

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On 25th September, 2017 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched

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(SECC) data 2011. Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) of 2011 ah

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will be used as the basis to determine the beneficiaries for free .w

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electricity connections. The other un-electrified households are ss re

required to bear a charge of Rs. 500 in order to get an electricity

electricity bill. This scheme comes with key features like providing solar power packs of 200 to 300 whr with battery bank along with 5 LED lights to Un-electrified households located in remote areas , 1DC fan, 1DC power plug including Repair and Maintenance for 5 years. The Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC) is the nodal agency for operationalization of scheme. Modern technology using mobile app will be used for household survey. The benefits of the scheme include increased economic activities and jobs, improved quality of life especially for women, enhanced connectivity through radio, television, mobiles etc., environmental upgradation by substitution of kerosene for lighting purposes, lighting after the sunset providing an enhanced personal safety especially for women, boosting education services across all areas and quality lighting post sunset would facilitate more time on studies and progress in prospective careers and substitution of kerosene lighting purposes resulting in reduction in indoor pollution there by saving people from health hazards. 76

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(DISCOMS) would recover in 10 installments as a part of their

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connection, which the electricity distribution companies of India

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But it has some of its own issues like Saubhagya scheme does very ah

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little to address the problem of affordability.

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it will not address the recurring burden of power bills. Amidst the govt’s claims that India is a power surplus nation, the power generation utilizes remain vastly under-utilised. The plant load factors (PLF) of coal and lignite-based plants, an indicator of capacity utilization of power generation units has dropped from 77.5% in 2009-10 to 59.88% in 2016-17, according to Central Electricity Authority. However the scheme will bolster the country’s economy and bring multiple benefits to the needy population.The scheme will help India, the world’s third-largest energy consumer after the US and China, to help meet its global climate change commitments as electricity will substitute kerosene for lighting purposes. (Word Limit- 450 words) 51. Benefits of Computer-Based Test for Prestigious Exam In a world that seems increasingly dominated by technology and computers, everything has made its place online. From studies to meetings, from projects to reports, from exams to results, all the things can be done online. Computers have left behind the use of Pen and Paper with the arrival of online tests, Top premier 77

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Even through it provides electricity connections free of cost, but

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drastically to lower the price paid by retail consumers.

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Improving affordability require that supply be increased

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institutes have started the format of online examination, Computer ah

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Based Testing is not just about taking an examination on a .w

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easy-to-use environment for preparing questions, conducting exams and managing results. Also, these exams are very cost effective as no expenses are incurred for printing or distribution of question papers. Exam can be conducted in several geographically scattered locations at the same time. The candidate has the flexibility to choose the exam location and time. The online exam system gives freedom to choose among multiple language options accordingly. This system of examination has also emerged as a boon for the candidates with physical disability including hearing, visual etc. Various input devices can be used to extend access to such vision Braille Keyboards are available for those with vision problems. Another benefit is that candidates can practice through Mock tests which are available online. The best advantage of Computer Based Exam is that one can change the answer frequently at a click while in offline it is difficult once you circle OMR with pen. People already engaged in full time jobs or classes find these online entrance exams easily accessible as the feasibility to take exam at the preferred location gives them the opportunity to appear for the exam for the desired course. This fast 78

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Online examinations consist of mainly MCQs which provide an

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scheduled, designed, conducted, monitored and evaluated.

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computer, it also involves changes in the way examinations are

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and effective system of online examination is helping the aspiring ah

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candidates to understand their level of performance. In brief, .w

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Computer Based Test exam system is more secure and saves (Word Limit- 400 words) However, on being asked about both Pros and Cons of Computer Based Test Exam, you can add following points as the disadvantages of the same. Connectivity

issue

:

Connectivity

can

be

a

serious

disadvantage of online testing. A student’s internet connection can drop at any time for various reasons. Which can cause the students to lose work or in advertently submit tests that are incomplete. Cheating: The chances of cheating during an online test are tough to eliminate. Unless an instructor is physically watching someone take the test, it is almost impossible to remedy. 52. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao" scheme is a government scheme launched by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi in the month of January in 2015 at Panipat. This scheme was launched especially in Haryana as this state has lowest female sex ratio all over the country (877 of females to that of 1000 males).It has been effectively implemented in hundred districts across the country to improve the status of girls. 12 districts were chosen from the 79

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money, time and avoids wastage of paper.

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Haryana state itself because of having low child sex ratio.This programme was launched to make some positive changes in the Indian society in status of girl child. There are many restrictions for the girl child in the Indian society which hinders the proper growth and development of the girl child. This scheme is aimed at eradicating practices of female foeticide, girl child insecurity, sex discrimination and other deplorable acts against girl child. The attention holder idea behind this scheme is to help in improving the awareness among common people and the efficiency of welfare services given to women. However, the sex ratio 2011 shows an upward trend from the census 2001 data. Census 2001 revealed that there were 933 females to that of 1000 Males whereas it risen up to 943 females to that of 1000 males in 2011 Census, still some states are in desperate need to make a noticeable improvement in their calculated female sex ratio data. If nothing is applied positively on urgent basis to reduce such type of issues against girls, surely there would be a day when the results will be dreadful and uncontrollable creating a turmoil. Girls occupy almost half population of the world so they are half responsible for the existence of life on the earth. The menial & widespread thinking of Indian society that girls are the property of someone else other than their parents needs to be changed strenuously. There are some positive aspects that this scheme would be proved as a great start to remove social issues against girl child. We hope that there would be a day when no girl child would be killed, uneducated, insecure, raped because of socio-economic reasons. ah

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Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme is the way to achieve positive changes in the human negative mindset toward girls. This scheme may make a call to people to end the discrimination between sons and daughters and work as a key to end female foeticide. Empowering women brings all round progress especially in the family and society and thus help in the progression of the nation as well. (Word Limit- 450 words) 53. Overpopulation : Causes, Impact and Prevention ah

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Every nook and corner of India is a clear display of increasing population, whether you are in a metro station, airport, road, highway, shopping mall, market or even in a social and religious gathering, we find all these places over crowded at any time of the day. Therefore, over population can be termed as an undesirable condition where the number of existing human population exceeds the carrying capacity of Earth. According to the Indian Census carried out in 2011, the population of India was noted down more than 1 billion. This is the second most populous country of the world after China and it has been estimated that India will be the world’s number one populous country surpassing China, by 2025. The main causes leading to overpopulation of India include higher birth rate than death rate, slow fall in fertility rate, better medical facilities, depletion of precious resources, early marriage of girls, poverty, illiteracy, age old cultural norm under which sons are considered the bread earners of the families. These obsolete thoughts put considerable pressure on the parents to produce

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children till a male child is born, illegal migration under which continual illegal migration from Bangladesh and other underdeveloped countries add up to increase population density. This cumbersome count of population brings horrible impacts with itself that includes unemployment, manpower utilization under which the number of jobless people is on rise in India due to economic depression and expansion activities, pressure infrastructure resulting in lack of transportation, communication, housing, education, health care, increasing number of slums, overcrowded houses, traffic congestion, scarcity of resources, decreased production and increased costs leading to problem like inflation and inequitable income distribution. The Government of India, policy makers or leaders should initiate a bold population policy to keep the pace of economic growth of country with the demands of growing population. Increasing awareness for the use of contraceptives and family planning methods, sex education, encouraging male sterilization and female empowerment, more care centres for the poor and free distribution of contraceptives among the poor can play a major role in controlling population. India’s strengths in the global world in various fields can’t be ignored, whether in science & technology, medicine and health care, business and industry, military, literature & many other appreciating fields. Experts are hopeful that by increasing public awareness and enlisting strict population control norms by Govt will definitely lead the way towards country’s economic prosperity & control of population. (Word Limit- 450 words) ah

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54. 7th Pay Commission

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Pay commission is set up intermittently by government of India ss re

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and gives its recommendations regarding changes in salary

make recommendations on the work and pay structure of all Civil and

Military

division

of

the

Government

of

India.

The

recommendations are made while keeping in view the economic conditions in the country. The commission, set up once in every 10 years to review pay, allowances and other benefits for central government

employees,

was

appointed

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the

previous

government on 28 Feb 2014 and was asked to submit its report in 18 months. On September 25, 2013 the former finance minister P Chidambaram announced that the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had approved the constitution of the 7th Pay Commission which implemented with effect from January 1, 2016. Justice A. K. Mathur was supposed to be heading the Seventh Pay Commission, announcement of which was done on 4 Feb,2014. The full implementation of the 7th Pay Commission’s recommendations will bring an average 23.5 raise in their income for about one crore central govt employees and pensioners. With more money in hand 83

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commissions have been set up on a regular basis to review and

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structure of its employees. Since India’s Independence, seven pay

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is expected to push higher consumer demand for durable goods, ah

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which will give impetus to industrial sector leading to creation of .w

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more jobs.

also means increased savings, which have been the biggest strength of the middle class economy of the country. Higher consumption and demand are likely to create more jobs in the country in various sectors–particularly manufacturing. Clearly the strongest effect on the 7th pay commission will be on the aggregate demand in the Indian economy. The commission had recommended raising the minimum pay hike to Rs18,000 from Rs7,000, along with the maximum pay being raised from the existing Rs80,000 to Rs2.5 lakh as well as a fitment factor of pay fixation uniformly approved at 2.57 times of basic pay. These recommendations were approved by the Union cabinet. The government had also approved a hike in allowances earlier this July. However, around 48 lakh central government and 52 lakh pensioners are under the impression that the implementation of the new pay revision system is a mere distraction that government is using to take cover and to hide their incapability of taking a decision under the recommendation of 7th Pay Commission. (Word Limit- 450 words) 84

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dependents will lead to higher revenue for the govt. More money

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The automobile sector and companies get huge push and their

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To know more about 7th Pay Commission, you should be aware of ah

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its Pros and Cons given below:

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PROS:

pensions, it will boost the overall demand scenario in the economy, leading to more expenditure, thus benefiting the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) (ii) A savior amid global market turmoil- The Seventh pay commission has rendered a much-needed relief to the market concerned over a spate of issues from Britain’s verdict to leave the European Union. CONS: (i) Fiscal deficit – many widen while the Budget for 2016-17 did not provide an explicit provision for implementation of 7th pay commission, The govt’s kitty is likely to have an additional burden of Rs.1.02 lakh crore, or nearly 0.7 percent of GD, which may make it troublesome for the govt to meet its fiscal deficit target for the current financial year. (ii) Inflation risk – RBI has repeatedly commented that it sees an upside risk to Consumer Price Inflation Index (CPI) inflation on the back of 7th Pay Commission. 85

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pensioners will receive over a 23 of hike in salaries and

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(i) Boosting demand – When over 1 crore govt employees and

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55. Should Government Consider Privatising Public Sector Banks ? ah

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The call for privatisation of Public Sector Banks has been making rounds given the recent scams, losses and drain of public funds cited as the main reasons, with one very particular question on board, “Whether Government should consider privatising Public Sector Banks?” The answer is more of imperative in nature than it seems logical given the present scenario. In a country like ours, where major of the banking customers are low-income individuals, it is of utmost importance that banking system is equally adept as per their needs and maintained and run by government to achieve the goals of financial inclusion and national development. It is a secret to none that private sector is profit oriented. Before advising to privatise the Public Sector Banks, the experts should take into account the number of operational branches of their “beloved” private banks in remote rural areas. The outcome would not be what they would consider satisfactory and it is the reality. The services on account of the private sector banks in our country is largely concentrated in economically developed, metropolitan and urban areas with bulk of the rural population purposely neglected and objectives of financial inclusion in the back seat of operations. But not is the case same in Public Sector Banks. The pillars of economic development – infrastructure loans, financial inclusion, loans to small and marginal farmers and to the micro and small industries – is undertaken by government banks. On contrary, whenever it comes to low income or poor customers, the private sector banks are either inconsiderate or neglecting. Even if they somehow provide the services, the exploitation remains the main agenda.

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For the experts, the difference between the revenue generated and funds infused in Public Sector Banks is considered as another reason for this “privatisation” cry. But the dividends paid and the income tax filed by the public sector banks are not being considered. The aggregate of the dividends and taxes justifies every rupee of capital infusion in times of crisis. But it is not being considered. At last, solution is vital but approach is imperative in this problem the Public Sector Banks are facing. This problem has given an insight of the foundation of the banking industry in our country, being strong enough to absorb financial shocks and it certainly is a sign of relief in this era of banking collapses and shutdowns. Written By - Atul Kumar Mishra ah

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Ending a 92-year-old British-era practice the government has not only preponed budget presentation date but also merged the Railway Budget into Main Budget. Write an essay on the possible pros and cons of this step. Technology has its fair share in all the sectors and even sports aren’t untouched as eSports is going to be a medal event at 2022 Asian Games. Write an essay on mainstream recognition of competitive video gaming. Write an essay on Are Payment Banks a threat or allies to other public sector banks. 87

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ESSAY WRITING EXERCISE

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Winner of Essay Writing Contest by Adda247

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Write an essay on China’s One Belt One Road project and its impact on India. India and Bangladesh initiated a process to improve navigability of inland water transit protocol route between the two countries. Write an essay on Inland waterways transportation. Mass layoff by IT companies in India has threatened the youth to raise a question on job security. Write an essay of expressing your views on Indian IT firms’ mass lay off and youths’ inclination towards government jobs. Write an essay on the need for better public sanitation facilities for women and children. Write an essay on Yoga: The essence of spiritual, mental and physical wellbeing. Write an essay on Cow vigilantism threatens the body and soul of India. ah

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Employee Retention is the means and ways which are being used by the management to help its employees stay in the organization for a longer period of time. The strategies used by the management motivates the employees, as a result they stay in the organisation 88

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Need and importance of employee retention in the corporate world. What measures can be taken to reduce attrition increase in retention?

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EMPLOYEE RETENTION

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for the maximum time & work with full efficiency. To achieve this, the management should take sincere efforts which should result in growth and learning of the employees. Increase in competition in the industry has reduced the Employee retention capability of an organisation. For Lucrative salary, comfortable timings, better ambience, growth prospects, the employees are changing their jobs. But who is responsible for all this? It is the responsibility of the management & the HR to involve in all these cases immediately and find out the exact reasons of this. ah

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1. Hiring is not an easy process. 2. Organization has invested time and money in grooming an individual. If it is not retaining its employees, then it can’t have a experienced team. 3. Also, it can led to complete wastage of time and money when an individual leaves an organization all of a sudden. 4. The organisation strategy can reach to its competitors. 5. Employees working for a longer period of time are more familiar with the company’s policies, guidelines and thus they can understand the company’s aim and vision easily and can work towards that. 6. Individuals sticking to an organization for a longer span are more loyal towards the management and the organization. 7. Potential Freshers today, future leaders tomorrow. 8. A business can’t be expand without consistency. 9. Customers Notice When Names Change 10. Constantly Training New Employees Is a Waste of Resources

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Why is Employee Retention is very important?

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What the organisation can do?

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1. How the management treat/behave with the employees.

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2. Empathize: Deal with the negative emotions with empathy.

5. Encourage initiative. 6. Recognize performance. 7. Regular Motivation Sessions. 8. Formal & Informal Discussions. The companies who are most effective at retaining people are the ones which are realising that losing an employee is a loss for the organisation. FDI IN INDIA FDI is investment by an individual or a company from another country. A foreign direct investor can invest in a company by means of merger or acquisition, or by setting up a new venture. The economic liberalization in 1991 opened the Indian economy to foreign investments. Advantages of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Capital inflows can create higher output and jobs. Recipient country will benefit from improved knowledge and expertise of foreign company. Investment from abroad could lead to increase in salaries and better working conditions Economic Development Stimulation. 90

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4. Make them understand the Organizational and Individual goals to make them realise how they can grow in the organisation.

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3. Proper Communication

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Can create a Resource Transfer.

ah

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Can lead to Increased Productivity.

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Quality of products and flow of technology.

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Will result in Increase in government revenue.

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Improvement of agricultural sector. Disadvantages of FDI It can hinder the Domestic Investment. Negative Influence on Exchange Rates. Destruction of small entrepreneurs. Shrinking of jobs in some sector. No real benefit to farmers. It can increase the Trade Deficit. Can lead to inflation. Conclusion The future of India lies in FDI & the government should proceed in that direction if it wants to make the Indian economy a developed economy. MERGER OF BANKS IN INDIA Benefits of the Merger Enhance the productivity. Mitigate geographical risks. Increase operational efficiency & drive synergies across multiple dimensions. Ensure increased levels of customer delight. 91

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Rationalisation of Branches which will help the bank optimise its operations and improve profitability. ah

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Capital adequacy will improve requiring less capital infusion by government.

The organizational entity will be able to take bold and quicker decisions, provided there is adequate clarity in communication coupled with decentralization and delegation of authority. The consolidated bank is expected to manage costs better—the cost-to-income ratio could be reduced. A combined treasury could perform better. Lower cost of deposits will boost margins. Large banks in a consolidated banking system enjoy scale benefits leading to better diversification of risks and stronger overall profitability contributing to higher credit ratings. In a merger bank expands & according to the economies of scale, if a business expands it will always gains & grow. Banks can consolidate their debt, which will help them to reduce the amount of interest they pay compared to the total debt two or more separate banks carry on their own. 92

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In the global market, the Indian banks will gain greater recognition and higher rating.

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When two or more Banks will merge, this will help them to work more efficiently not only in terms of the accounting Ratios but also in terms of banking operations. Both will be using the Best Possible Practices of each other.

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The volume of inter-bank transactions will come down, resulting in saving of considerable time in clearing and reconciliation of accounts. ah

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Bank mergers can result in filling or getting more products and can even lead to technological advancement with relatively lesser cost.

Insufficient resources and lack of Commitment can lead to merger failure. Loss of customer because of the image/goodwill of another bank It will be difficult to precisely assess the impact of mergers in quantitative terms, at this juncture. We must know the terms of merger, before embarking on such exercise. Mergers can result in shifting/closure of many ATMs, Branches and controlling offices, as it is not prudent and economical to keep so many banks concentrated in several pockets, notably in urban and metropolitan centres. Mergers may result in immediate job losses on account of large number of people taking VRS on one side and slow down or stoppage of further recruitment on the other. This will worsen the unemployment situation further and may create law and order problems and social disturbances. 93

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Failure to assess working culture

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Chances of relocating branches in under-served areas (Financial Inclusion) Detriment of the Merger

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The plight of people taking pre-mature retirement (through VRS ah

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route or otherwise) will turn more pitiable than being .w

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envisaged.

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strategies. The weaknesses of the small banks may get transferred to the bigger bank also. The immediate negative impact will be from pension liability provisions due to different employee-benefit structures and a harmonisation of accounting policies for NPA recognition. INSURANCE PENETRATION What is Insurance? It is facility which helps us to manage the unforeseen risks in life. Insuring anything other than life (non-accidental death) is general insurance while insuring life is termed as Life Insurance. That’s why we say, Life Insurance “assures” our tomorrow & General Insurance “secures” our today. It plays vital role in providing economic security & strengthening spirit of entrepreneurship. It is important for everyone’s life but still this is not being used by the people of India because of low Penetration. Only the High-Class individuals are using it. To improve this, the companies need to have a better distribution strategy & product. 94

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Different banks have different goals, priorities and business

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How the Penetration can be done? Promoting consumer awareness/information & product awareness. Diversifying Insurance activities in Tier 2 & 3 cities with the help of agents & other officials. Effective Agency structure by giving proper training to the agents & developing their skills. Bancassurance Tie-Ups can increase the Penetration. New Network channel should be identified by the Insurance companies. New Products for Insurance which focus on low income people should be introduced. An example of this is Micro Insurance. Agriculture Insurance should be introduced. Should come out with ways which could result in the Tax Benefits with the help of Insurance. To establish quicker grievance redressal systems to get the trust of the people. ah

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“Financial Inclusion” means the easy delivery of financial services to large sections of the unprivileged society. It is an effective tool to reduce the dependency on the informal sector like the local moneylenders for availing finance. Financial Inclusion is the road that India needs to travel toward becoming a global player. Financial access will attract global market players in India and that will result in increasing employment and business opportunities. Inclusive growth will act as a source of empowerment and allow people to participate more effectively in the economic and social process.

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FINANCIAL INCLUSION IN INDIA

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Why it is important?

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The main reasons for financial exclusion in India, are lack of awareness, low income, poverty and illiteracy while from the supply side is distance from branch, branch timings, cumbersome documentation and procedures, unsuitable products, language, staff attitudes etc. It can contribute to the all-round development of the society. FI can result in equitable growth of the society. FI can create a platform for inculcating the habit to save money. Capital formation is also expected to boost once financial inclusion measures materialise. It will help the people by providing formal credit avenues and can break the informal channels of credit like family, friends and moneylenders. FI can plug gaps and leaks in public subsidies and welfare programmes. The subsidies and other financial benefits can be transferred directly to the account of the Beneficiaries. Important initiatives for Financial Inclusion 1. Lead banking scheme (LBS). 2. No frills account. 4. BSBDA 5. Business Correspondents (BC) system. 6. Swabhiman Campaign 7. PMJDY Lead Bank Scheme The Lead Bank Scheme, introduced towards the end of 1969, envisages assignment of lead roles to individual banks (both in public sector & private sector) for the districts allotted to them.

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A bank having a relatively large network of branches in the rural areas of a given district & endowed with adequate financial & manpower resources has generally been entrusted with the lead responsibility for that district. Accordingly, all the districts in the country have been allotted to various banks. The lead bank acts as a leader for coordinating the efforts of all credit institutions in the allotted districts. No Frill Account ‘No Frills ‘account is a basic banking account. Such account requires either nil minimum balance or very low minimum balance. Charges applicable to such accounts are low. The RBI in 2005-06 called upon Indian banks to design a ‘no frills account’ – a no precondition, low ‘minimum balance maintenance’ account with simplified KYC (Know Your Customer) norms. But all the existing ‘No-frills’ accounts opened were converted into BSBDA in compliance with the guidelines issued by RBI in 2012. BSBDA In 2012, RBI introduced BSBDA. Some important points are: This account shall not have the requirement of any minimum balance. The services available in the account will include: deposit &withdrawal of cash at bank branch as well as ATMs; receipt/credit of money through electronic payment channels or by means of deposit/collection of cheques drawn by Central/State Government agencies & departments; While there will be no limit on the number of deposits that can be made in a month, account holders will be allowed a ah

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maximum of four withdrawals in a month, including ATM withdrawals. Facility of ATM card or ATM-cum-Debit Card. Business Correspondent Business correspondents are bank representatives. They personally go to the area allotted to them & carry out banking. They help villagers to open bank accounts, in banking transactions etc. Business Correspondents get commission from bank for every new account opened, every transaction made via them, every loan-application processed etc. ah

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Benefits of Financial Inclusion Access to insurance resulting in a cushion against unplanned expenses in the form of emergencies such as illness, death in the family or loss of employment. Receiving social security transfers in the form of old age pensions, widow pensions, monthly aid to handicapped persons and other benefits accruing from governments directly into their bank accounts. Access to loans, insurance, money transfer and overdraft facilities will be available easily and that to on subsidised rates. Possibility of making social security transfers such as old age pensions, widow pensions, etc. directly into the bank account of beneficiaries through electronic transfer. This will help in minimizing transaction costs; Chance to achieve faster growth in the country by way of including the as mainstream of the country.

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LETTER WRITING TIPS

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Any kind of communication that is official can be carried out by sending a formal letter. There are many types of letters that are written for formal purposes. Some of them are as follows: Recommendation letter, Apology letter, Job application letter, Invitation letter, Enquiry letter, Complaint letter, Letter to editor, etc.

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The right letter can make all the difference. This is a craft that everyone has practiced in their old school days. Letter Writing questions are a part of Descriptive Paper of various Govt. Job recruitment exams like Banking, Insurance, SSC and other exams. While writing a letter one should keep in mind to write letters that get your message across without the reader calling you for clarification. Letters shouldn’t be verbose and usually in competitive exams there is a prescribed word limit. To begin with letter writing, first you must understand its types: Two types of letters are generally asked in descriptive paper of competitive exams. 1. Formal letters: Letters written to bank manager, a company, government officials, editor of a newspaper, member of a political party, business partner, employee, etc. 2. Informal letters: Letters written to a relative, parents, brother or sister, a friend, a teacher/mentor (thanksgiving).

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STEPS INVOLVED IN WRITING A FORMAL LETTER ah

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1. Sender’s address: It is to be written on the top left hand side of the page. It will include a street address, city, state, PIN code and if you are representing a company, write the company’s address.

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Surya Nagar, Andhra Pradesh-300376 2. Date: It should be written one line beneath the sender’s address. The date is important because, if you want to continue with the further communication then adding date will make it easier to keep a tab on your letters. Sudha Sharma, HNo: 7-8-60, Surya Nagar, Andhra Pradesh-300376 12 January 2018 3. Recipient’s address: It should be written one line underneath the date. Include his or her title: for example Dr., Ms., Miss, Mrs., Mr., etc. Write the recipient’s job title under his/her name. Below the name, write the name of the company (if provided). One line below that, write the recipient’s street address followed by his/her city, state, and pin code. 100

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HNo: 7-8-60,

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Sudha Sharma,

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Sudha Sharma,

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HNo: 7-8-60,

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Surya Nagar,

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Andhra Pradesh-300376 12 January 2018 Mr. Ajay Gupta, 801, Himgiri Apartments Naini, Hyderabad-500 016

4. Subject: Normally bold and summarises the intention of the word. Sudha Sharma, HNo: 7-8-60, Surya Nagar, Andhra Pradesh-300376 12 January 2018 Mr. Ajay Gupta, 801,Himgiri Apartments Naini, Hyderabad 500 016 Sub: Request for infrastructure improvement. 5. Salutation: Salutation is an important part of the letter. Don’t be friendly, while adding the salutation. Dear Sir or Madam will do. 101

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Sudha Sharma,

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HNo: 7-8-60, Surya Nagar, Andhra Pradesh-300376

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12 January 2018 Mr. Ajay Gupta, 801, Himgiri Apartments Naini, Hyderabad-500 016 Sub: Request for infrastructure improvement. Dear Sir, 6. Body of the letter: The body of the letter need not be more than three paragraphs. The introductory paragraph An introductory paragraph should always be short and to the point. It is important to put into words the key purpose of writing a letter in the introductory paragraph. Sudha Sharma, HNo: 7-8-60, Surya Nagar, Andhra Pradesh-300376 12 January 2018 Mr. Ajay Gupta, 801, Himgiri Apartments Naini, Hyderabad-500 016 102

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Sub: Request for infrastructure improvement.

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Dear Sir,

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_______________________________________________________

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I would like to bring to your notice that____________________ The main body

Give answer to the question asked in the main body of the letter. Do not exaggerate or write things that are unnecessary and go out of context. Write the points that best explain the purpose of the letter being written. Present your best self, write in a clear, conversational style, be concise, and be consistent. Sudha Sharma, HNo: 7-8-60, Surya Nagar, Andhra Pradesh-300376 12 January 2018 Mr. Ajay Gupta, 801, Himgiri Apartments Naini, Hyderabad-500 016 Sub: Request for infrastructure improvement. Dear Sir, I would like to bring to your notice that____________________ (Introductory Para)______________________________________ (Main body Para)________________________________________ 103

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The main body

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The finishing paragraph of your formal letter should always present a call of action. It can be related to sending you some information or refund or any such thing. Wind up your letter in a way that leaves a good impression on the mind of the examiner.

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12 January 2018 Mr. Ajay Gupta, 801,Himgiri Apartments Naini, Hyderabad-500 016 Sub: Request for infrastructure improvement. Dear Sir, I would like to bring to your notice that___________________ (Main body-complete explanation of the problem/issue)_____ ______________________________________________________ Please take necessary steps________I would look forward to hearing from you_______________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 7. Signing off: Sign off your letter with the appropriate salutation followed by your name. “Yours sincerely,” “Sincerely,” and “Best”, “Yours obediently”, “Yours faithfully” will all do. Write your title under your name if applicable. 104

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HNo: 7-8-60, Surya Nagar, Andhra Pradesh-300376

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Sudha Sharma,

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Sudha Sharma,

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HNo: 7-8-60, Surya Nagar, Andhra Pradesh 300376

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12 January 2018 Mr. Ajay Gupta, 801, Himgiri Apartments Naini, Hyderabad-500 016 Sub: Request for infrastructure improvement. Dear Sir, I would like to bring to your notice that____________________ (main body-complete explanation of the problem/issue)______ _______________________________________________________ Please take necessary steps_______I would look forward to hearing from you_____________________________________ _______________________________________________________ Yours sincerely, Sudha Sharma Complaint Letter Letter of complaint is commonly written in a formal way. Letter should start with an appropriate salutation: Dear Sir, Dear Madam, etc. The language that you use while writing your letter depends on severity of the problem you are complaining about. Always remember not to be abusive at any point of time when complaining. The complaint that you are making should be supported with a justification. 105

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Examples of Phrases that can be used in a complaint letter: I would like to express my extreme dissatisfaction… ah

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I would like to receive a full refund…

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I regret to say that I was not completely satisfied…

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Application A letter of application is written when you are applying for a permanent or a temporary job. It can also be written while applying for an educational course. The first paragraph includes the name of the job or the course you are applying for and where you saw its advertisement. The main body paragraph includes what you are currently doing and the work experience that you have, your academic qualifications, certifications and your own special qualities that make you eligible for the job or course. The final paragraph summarizes the points discussed in the main body. Thank the person for considering your application and ask the person to consider you for the job or course. Mention the possibility of further communication. Examples of Phrases that can be used in a job application: I had applied against notification… I would like to apply for… Invitation Letter Letters of invitation can be formal or informal depending on the situation and the person we are writing to. They include description of the events such as a party, wedding, etc. or a place like a hotel, house, etc. and/or directions to the place. 106

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Examples of Phrases that can be used in an invitation letter:

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We are happy to let you know…

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Could you please let me know if you are available for…

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Could you please let me know if you can attend…

Extras This letter is to inform you about… This letter is in reference to your… We would like to bring to your notice/attention… — Letter in reply to an enquiry This is in reference to your enquiry… — Apology letter We would like to apologize for… Please accept our apologies for… Please let us know how we can compensate you… Complementary close —Yours faithfully, —With gratitude, —Respectfully yours, —Yours sincerely, —Yours obediently, —Thanking you, 107

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An informal letter is a letter that is written to a friend, family members, a close relative or to any individual who is extremely close to you or well acquainted with you. This letter is written in a personal manner. An informal letter is perhaps the most common of all letters. We may write an informal letter for a special occasion and many other situations such as a letter to express sympathy when somebody has died, a letter to congratulate someone on his/her marriage, a letter to someone to congratulate someone on his/her success in life, a thanksgiving letter to a teacher/friends/parents, etc. Such letters are called personal or informal letters. These letters may be short or long depending on the matter that is being discussed or the bond that you share with the person you are writing to. This immensely depends on how well you know the person so wisely consider your relationship with him/her. These letters are mostly chatty and casual.

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INFORMAL LETTER WRITING TIPS Informal letters always contain questions asking about the person’s well-being, as well as that of those around him (his/her family and friends). The content of a letter should always be concise, conversational, tidy, logical, reasoned, clear-headed and grammatically correct. The language of informal letters is very friendly and casual unlike that of informal letters that are official and excessively polite.

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Address

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being written from. The English, however, do no such thing.

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page. A number of people will insert the city where the letter is 45, Bhavesh Nagar, Kanpur Date

The date is usually located below your own address. The month, day and year are the normal things to mention. Sometimes only the month and day will be sufficient. 45, Bhavesh Nagar, Kanpur 20th December 2017 Salutation The most common salutation in an informal letter is “Dear ” or “Hi ”. Do not forget to put a comma after it. 45, Bhavesh Nagar, Kanpur 20th December 2017 Dear Jai, 109

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Body

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The contents of your letter should be written in a personal and friendly tone. You can use a different language for every different person you write to. Your adjustment depends on the kind of relationship you share with the other person (if he/she is your friend/a relative/a family member or he/she is elder/younger to you). A good way of assessing how you should write is to think about how you would interact with each other in real life. You can ask a few polite questions like “How have you been?” or “How was your trip?” The first paragraph consists of an introduction that will give the recipient an idea of what you are writing to him/her with a brief description of the main purpose of your letter. You can start the paragraph with “I hope you are doing fine…” and continue to write as told. The second paragraph of the letter consists of a detailed description of what you want to convey to the other person. You can thank the recipient for their time, wish him/her a good luck or ask any questions in your concluding paragraph.

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Dear Jai, I hope you are in a good health_____________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Give my regards to your mom and dad______________________ 110

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20th December 2017

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45, Bhavesh Nagar, Kanpur

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Signature

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In terms of signing off, the choice is yours and you have a lot of freedom here. You can end your letter with “Love”, “Lots of love”, “Yours”, “Yours forever”, etc. Note that it is always followed by a comma.

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Dear Jai, I hope you are in a good health_____________________________ _________________________________________________________ Give my regards to your mom and dad______________________ Yours truly, Vilas Salutation There are a few things that you should know about in terms of addressing someone properly in an informal letter. — Men are addressed as “Mr.” — Women are addressed as “Mrs.” if they are married and with “Ms.” when they are not. Opening Phrases — How are you? — I hope you are in a good health. — How have you been? — I came to know about… — How is life treating you? 111

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20th December 2017

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45, Bhavesh Nagar Kanpur

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— I was happy to hear about… — How are the kids? — I hope you are doing great — I hope you, Mom, and Meera are having a great time. Conclusion — I am looking forward to seeing you. — I dedicate my success to you. — I can’t wait to see you soon. — Send me a detailed reply. — I can’t wait to hear from you. — I am looking forward to hearing from you. — See you soon. — Revert as soon as possible. — Send my love to… — I hope you are doing well. — Good luck… — Give my regards to… Complementary close — best wishes, — Yours sincerely, — Yours obediently, (can be used for Thanksgiving letter to teachers/mentors) — Kindly, — Yours truly, — Thanking you, — Kind regards, — Best regards, — Lots of love, — Love, ah

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1. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper regarding noise pollution in festive season.

23rd May 2017 The Editor, The Times of India, Milap Bhawan, Delhi Sub : Noise Pollution posing a threat to health of people. Sir, I would like to draw the kind attention of the concerned authorities towards increasing problem of noise pollution. Increasing noise pollution is a big threat to the health the people; if it is allowed to go unchecked it may rob the people of their hearing capacity. Creasing number of vehicles on the roads, rising growth of factories, loudspeakers etc. are various factors responsible for causing noise pollution. It is the time that the authorities should strictly enforce the noise control laws. The noise producing factories located in the residential areas should be shifted to far-off places without any delay. The use of loudspeaker should be stopped after specific time. 113

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Ashiyana, Lucknow, U.P

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572 Sector G,

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I hope that you’ll voice my concerns through your esteemed newspaper and then the concerned authorities will take necessary action against those responsible for noise pollution to relieve the people from the harmful effects of it. ah

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Yours faithfully, Supriya Pathak

2. Write a letter to the editor expressing your concern as many stray animals are on the road during busy hours of day causing traffic jams as well as accidents. You’ve already written to the concerned authorities but no action was taken so far. 21-B, Aishbagh, Lucknow, U.P – 226004 23rd February 2018 The Editor, The Hindu, Hazratganj, Lucknow Sub: Stay Animals causing Traffic Jams Sir, Through the columns of your esteemed Daily, I would like to draw the attention of the civic authorities towards the increasing cattle menace on the roads of Aishbagh area of the city. The stray animals wandering on the busy road are causing frequent traffic jams, as well as accidents. They have, hence become a traffic bottleneck causing untold misery to the road users. I have written many times to the concerned authorities but unfortunately no steps have been taken so far. 114

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I urge that the civic authorities catch the stray cattle and send them for proper rehabilitation. I hope the authorities will take appropriate measures to find a solution to help us get the city roads rid of this menace. ah

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Thanking you, Yours faithfully, Dheeraj

3. Write a letter to the editor expressing your concern towards the need of awareness of toxic chemicals people might get exposed to on occasion of the festivals of colours, Holi. 31-D Nirman Vihar, New Delhi-110092 28th February 2018 The Editor, The Hindu, New Delhi. Sub: Awareness regarding use of Toxic Chemicals during Holi Sir, Through the columns of your esteemed Daily, I would like to draw the attention of your readers towards the need of being aware of toxic chemicals they might get exposed to on occasion of the festivals of colours, Holi. Holi brings joy and fun. However, as we get into the spirit of this festival, it is important to be watchful about your skin and body as many people suffer due to the use of colours that contains harmful chemicals. 115

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In some case, these colours causes serious injuries like eczema, redness, blisters, extreme redness and flaking of the skin. To minimise these potential side effects on the skin and hair, it’s best to take precautions. ah

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Thanking you, Yours faithfully, Swati Sharma

4. Write a letter to the Editor of the Hindustan Times drawing attention of the government officials to the problem of unavailability of a bus stop near your colony. House No. 25, Aparna Street, Ashok Vihar, New Delhi January 11, 2018 The Editor, The Hindustan Times, New Delhi Sub: Providing bus stops nearby the colony. Sir, Through the esteemed columns of your prestigious newspapers, I would like to draw the attention of the Government towards the problem of the lack of a bus stop in the area near Ashok Vihar Shruti Apartments. Government has not provided enough bus stops to cover all the apartments and colonies, on the road. The residents have to walk more than 2 km to catch a local bus. 116

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Hiring of a rickshaw is very costly for a common man. A rough ah

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weather puts the passengers in a great problem wasting their .w

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time, energy and stamina.

residential area, it is necessary to provide bus stops at all the appropriate points in this area. The convenience and safety of the citizens is the foremost thing to be acted upon. I hope the authorities would definitely consider our difficulty making appreciating efforts to provide an apt number of bus stops for the convenience of the passengers. As walking long distances in severe cold in winters and sultry days in summers is very tiresome and troublesome, getting rid of the discussed problem would be a big relief to all of us. Yours truly, Pooja Jain 5. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper condemning wide spread corruption and decline of moral values amongst public men. Subhash Street, GovindNagar, Ludhiana August 18, 2018 117

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advisable to walk long distance. Being a member of full

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For lady passengers, keeping their safety in mind it is not

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The Editor, The Tribune, Chandigarh

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Subject: Condemning wide spread corruption and declining moral values amongst public men.

Yours faithfully Tanisha Khanna 118

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Thanking you,

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Sir, Kindly public the following few lines in the columns of your esteemed daily. I will be much obliged. India is passing through a bad phase. A country of saints and sages is today becoming known for its corrupt leaders. A large number of public men are involved in scams and kick-backs. Corruption appears to have become the order of the day. There is hardly any political leader who can be cited as an ideal for the younger generation. Moral values are now taken as an ignoble trait. Public men in high places pay scant regard to decency, decorum or discipline in public life. The politics of defections and crime is deteriorating. These days, people have been oblivion regarding a respectful image of the country. To attain so called power and fame, they do not even hesitate to lose their ethics. This needs to be extirpated before it’s too late and our country be notorious for such deplorable acts. Our country and its leaders have always known for their spirit of honesty, truth, non-violence, charity and sacrifice. We must learn to uphold those values in social life and should participate in every act contributing to the country in being corruption free.

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6. Write a letter to the SHO of your area complaining against the violation of traffic rules by the people. dp

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17-B, Sadar,

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Nagpur 13th February 2018 The SHO, Sadar, Nagpur, Maharashtra Sir, I wish to draw your kind attention towards the increasing incidents of road accidents in our area. The major cause of such incidents is the violation of traffic rules and absence of traffic police on signals. People are in a habit of breaking laws. Everybody on the road seems to be in a hurry. It is very common that many people talk over mobile while drive and also jump red lights. Over speeding is another cause of road accidents. All these have contributed to the increase in the road accidents. Pedestrians do not feel safe while moving on the road. It is, requested to take immediate necessary action to check the incidence of road accidents. Traffic police may be deployed on every street to punish those who dare to break the traffic rules. Yours faithfully, Imraan Malik

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7. Imagine you are Shruti Sharma living at Street No. 40, Raja Colony, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Write a letter of complaint to the executive officer of the Municipality inviting his attention towards the insanitary condition in your locality. ah

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Street no. 40, Raja Colony, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh November 30, 2017 The Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Kanpur Subject– Request for cleaning garbage in the mentioned locality Sir,

I would like to draw your attention to the insanitary condition in our locality. The maintenance of cleanliness in the locality is continuously being neglected for the last couple of months since the rainy season has occurred as the sporadic fall of heavy rain fills the pits making it hazardous to cross the road at night. Vehicles get subsided in the pits full of water. Mosquitoes breed in the standing water. It is feared that some epidemic will break out. People are already facing serious health issues right after the Municipality has left paying attention to the filth gathered in the surroundings of the locality. To get recovery from the illness, once again people are bound to face difficulty as the routes leading to hospitals are in wear and tear conditions. Ignorance for long is surely going to cost high. 120

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The drains are not cleaned everyday and now because of the uncleaned dirt and waste lying here and there, the surrounding area has started stinking. Flies keep buzzing throughout the day. The sweeper allotted to our locality is usually absent and when he is here, our requests are taken in granted. The Sanitary Inspector is oblivious of the whole concerning matter. ah

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Your faithfully Shruti Sharma 8. Write a complaint letter to the commissioner of police inviting his attention to the number of thefts in your area. Also suggest measures to improve the situation. House no. 48 Parihar Colony, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh December 7, 2017 The Commissioner of Police Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh Subject: Complaint of theft-Request for Investigation. 121

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Thanking you,

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It is therefore a sincere request in behalf of every resident of the affected locality that the sanitary staff must be instructed to take necessary steps in the worrying matter. It will be appreciated if you make time to inspect this locality and set it free from the garbage.

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Sir,

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of thieves in my locality. The number of theft complaints is on an

security in this crowded and growing locality is provoking the miscreants to turn fearless to indulge in thefts and robberies. Even burglary has been a common practice since last month. During this week as many as fifteen thefts have taken place. No house locked even for a few hours is safe in any course of the day. The other day four strangers broke into a house and ransacked all the cash and jewellery at the point of the knife. Kindly start an active investigation to provide us relief from these recent thefts. I request you in behalf of every affected family in the locality to take immediate steps to stem this tide of insecurity before it’s too late. Kindly facilitate our vulnerable locality with a secure environment by providing a watchmen team for night time and policemen during day time to keep an eye on suspicious people in order to set us free from the fear of miscreants. We will be thankful to you. Yours faithfully, Sonali Singh 122

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surroundings. The absence of policemen and any kind of vigilant

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alarming level and people are bound to live in a threatening

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9. Imagine you are Pragati, write a letter of complaint to the S.D.O. (Electricity) against the frequent breakdown of electricity in your locality. ah

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House No. 45, Sohini Market, Govind Nagar, Punjab

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December 14, 2017 The S.D.O (Electricity), P.S.E.B (Punjab State Electricity Board), Punjab Subject: Complaint against frequent breakdown of electricity in Sohini Market Area. Sir, I would like to draw your kind attention towards frequent breakdown of electricity in Sohini Market Area. The low voltage and frequent tripping of electricity in this area has become almost a daily routine. Except for two hours daily electricity cut off, frequent spasmodic breakdown of electricity is simply nightmarish. At night one is left half through the meals at the dining table. During the day, there is no relief, no comforts and no protection from the sultry weather. Besides this, low voltage of electricity has damaged electric lamps, tubes and other electric appliances. Many times complaints have been lodged with your office but no permanent solution to this menace has been found. There is always some defect in wires or in the transformer. These are in a need to be replaced. Only then the proper supply of electricity can be restored to this locality. 123

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I hope you will look into the matter at the earliest and redress our grievance. ah

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Yours faithfully, Pragati

10. You have ordered a digital camera online form a reputed company, but when the article was delivered you found that the article was not the same as you had ordered. Write a grievance redressal letter to the concerned company. 21, Rajendra Marg, Delhi, [email protected] 30th May 2017 The Manager, Zapbuy.Inc, ITO, Delhi Sub: Regarding faulty product delivery. Order ID: 1435B004 Sir, I would like to bring to your notice that on 17 th May’17, I placed an order of Cannon 350 Camera through your esteemed website (Order ID: 1435B004) and I was delivered a product on 20th May’17. 124

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Unfortunately, the product that I found upon opening the package was not the same as the one I’ve placed an order for. I am extremely disappointed that even after reporting this issue with your customer care representative, I’ve not yet received any revert or e-mail regarding replacement of the product. To resolve the issue, I look forward to your reply and a resolution to my problem at the earliest. Please contact me at the above address or e-mail ID and initiate the process for replacement of the product. ah

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1/23 D Block Janakpuri, Delhi 1st March 2018 The Manager, Zapbuy.Inc, ITO, Delhi Sub: Regarding faulty product- Electric Kettle No. 1XD450 Sir, I wish to express my dissatisfaction with the above electric kettle, which I purchased from The Appliances Store in Delhi on 15 February, 2018. On using it for the first time, I found that the temperature control was faulty and the kettle was not heating up properly, due to which it took unusual time to boil water. 125

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11. You have bought an electric kettle form a store of a reputed company, but when you used the kettle you observed that the product was faulty and took more than usual time to boil water. Write a grievance redressal letter to the concerned company.

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Sincerely, Ashish Garg

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When I attempted to return the kettle to the store, the cashier said that the store was unable to replace it or offer me a refund but advised me that it could be sent away for repair. As I need to use a kettle daily, and it was not clear how long a repair would take, this option was unsatisfactory. As this kettle clearly is a malfunctioned product therefore does not comply with the expected standards of product quality, I am writing to you to ask for a full refund of the Rs.1500 retail price. I look forward to hearing from you within the 5 days. ah

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The Hon’Ble District Magistrate, Allahabad 20th December 2017 Sir, You are requested to kindly preside over the annual function which will be held on the 11th January 2018 in the school premises. The Chief Guest on the occasion will be Shri Anand Mittal, the standing M.L.A. of our locality. Prizes will also be distributed by you on the said occasion to the meritorious students for their successful performance in the school. 126

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12. You are the Principal of Vidya Mandir School. Write a letter to the District Magistrate of your locality requesting him to preside over the annual function of your school and distribute prizes to the meritorious students.

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Yours truly, Priya Gupta

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We propose to start the function at 5:00 PM. Apart from the prize distribution function; the programme will include a few culture items and musical concert. We hope that your gracious presence will surely encourage the students. On receiving a note of confirmation from your end, your name will be printed on the Invitation Cards to be sent to the guardians of the students. An early consent is earnestly requested. ah

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13. You are the Chairperson of Asha NGO for children and you were invited to a formal dinner on occasion of 31 st anniversary of Mumbai Institute for Social Sciences. However, due to your prior commitment you are unable to attend the event. Write a letter to the Principal stating your reason to turn down the invitation. The Principal, Mumbai Institute for Social Sciences 24th January 2018 Dear Mrs. Mehta, I am honoured by the invitation to your institute’s 31st anniversary dinner on February 12th, 2017. Please accept my heartiest congratulations on your institute’s upcoming celebration. I must apologise for the slight delay in replying to your letter. I have just returned from Kanpur after a seminar. 127

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Meghna Shukla, Principal, Vidya Mandir School

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Yours faithfully,

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However, allow me to decline this invitation for I have a prior ah

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seminar on awareness on child abuse and child labour. Hence, it Please accept my sincere apologies. If circumstances have been otherwise, it would be my honour to be present at your institute’s prestigious event. Thank you for your kind understanding. Yours sincerely, Swati Aggarwal, Chairperson, Asha NGO

14. Write a letter to your branch manager requesting him to issue you a new debit card as you’ve lost your ATM card. D-14 A Block Janak Puri, New Delhi 5th February 2018 The Manager, SBI, Hari Nagar, Delhi – 110064 128

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is a highly crucial meeting that I cannot avoid.

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Sub: Regarding issue of new debit card.

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I am having a savings account bearing number - 1600205 with

account number. I would be obliged if you can please issue me a new Visa Debit Card at the earliest. I am enclosing herewith a copy of my ID proof and bank statement. As I’ve lost my debit card I am facing a hard time in doing transactions and withdrawing cash. Kindly do the needful. Thanking you. Yours faithfully, Sakshi 15. Write a letter to your branch requesting them to transfer your savings account from Hari Nagar, Delhi branch to Gomti Nagar, Lucknow branch because of your transfer. B-90, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, UP -226012 January 4, 2018 129

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my previous debit card issued to me for the above-mentioned

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your branch at Hari Nagar, New Delhi. Unfortunately, I have lost

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The Manager,

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SBI, Hari Nagar,

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Sub: Regarding transfer of savings account.

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Delhi – 110064 Dear Sir,

I am having a savings account bearing number - 1410001201 with your branch at Hari Nagar, New Delhi. I have recently been relocated to Lucknow due to transfer of my job. I would be obliged if you can please transfer my account with your bank to your bank’s branch at Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. This would ease of the maintaining of the account at my end. Appropriate charges may kindly be debited to my account in this regard for transfer of my account. I am enclosing herewith a copy of the Address Proof of my current residence for your information and records. Kindly do the needful. Thanking you. Yours faithfully, Vaishali Pant 16. You are the manager of Resonance Publishing House and you had a telephonic conversation with the manager of Geeta Enterprise regarding some equipment needed by your firm. Write a letter to the manager of Geeta Enterprise enquiring about the same and requesting a catalogue of that equipment. 130

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Resonance Publishing House,

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12th January 2018

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The Manager, Geeta Enterprises, Ghaziabad Sub: Request for the catalogue of equipment. Dear Sir,

This is with reference to our telephonic conversation last week. We had discussed on various equipment which your company manufactures. Now we are writing to you to know if your company can send a catalogue with details of latest equipment. We want to see which ones will suit the requirement of our organisation. Could you provide us with more details about their range, quality, prices etc. In case we find suitable products, we look forward to place an order with you. We would also like to know whether you can offer discount on the replacement our out-dated equipment. We shall discuss all the matters after you send your catalogue. We are eagerly waiting for an early response from you. Yours sincerely, Mehak Vishwas, Manager 131

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17. Write a letter to the principal of your college requesting him for fee concession stating the reason of bad financial situation of your family.

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The Principal, Raipur Engineering College 10th March 2018 Sub: Requesting for concession in college of fee.

Respected Sir, With due regards, I beg to say that I am a student of electronics engineering 3rd year with an outstanding academic record. I would like to inform you that my family’s financial condition is not stable as my father is now retired from his job and he gets a monthly pension of mere 12,000 Rupees, which are not sufficient for us to meet the household expenses. Thus, I cannot afford to pay the college fee. Hence, I request you to waiver my fee on humanitarian grounds to enable me to pursue my studies further. I shall remain highly obliged to you for this. Kindly consider my case with a positive outlook and help me to study further, I shall not disappoint you. Thanking You, Yours obediently, Kunal Mittal, 3rd Year Electrical Engineering 132

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18. You are Shreya/Shery Verma working with a company PG Inc. Write a leave application to your Manager for absence of a months from your duties as you’ll be preparing for CAT. ah

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Shreya Verma, 56-Shantiniketan, Ghaziabad 201001

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20th September 2018 Mr. Gaurav Sharma, Senior Manager, PG Inc, Delhi-110091 Subject: Leave application for absence. Dear Sir, I wish to apply for a 30-day leave so I would like to request a formal leave of absence from my job. I plan to be away from October 21st, 2018 to November 23rd, 2018, and will return to work on November 24th, 2018 in order to prepare myself to appear in the upcoming CAT Examination. I would be available to provide any assistance and answer all sorts of queries while I am away. If approved, I would also be glad to help with a plan to get my part of work done in my absence. Please let me know if you need any further report regarding my absence. I am thankful to you for your consideration of my request. Yours sincerely, Shreya Verma 133

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PRACTICE EXERCISE

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You are the principal of Mira Model School and you are concerned about increasing usage of mobile phone by students in school premises. Write a letter to parents expressing your concern as this may pose a distraction which may affect students’ academic performance.

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Write a letter to the District Magistrate of your locality regarding increasing incidents of Cyber Crime. Write a letter to your branch manager requesting him to transfer your endowment policy from Mysore branch to Pune branch because of your transfer. You are the manager of a firm dealing in automobile parts. Earlier you’ve placed a bulk order for some automobile parts with a manufacturer and it was delivered to you recently. However, in you’ve found that a box had damaged parts in it and you wish to seek replacement or refund from the manufacturer. Writing a letter to the manufacturer for the same. Letter to insurance company for assessment of loss in your warehouse due to explosion in the neighbouring factory. Write a letter to the manager of a bank complaining about the rude behaviour of an employee. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper expressing your concern regarding paid news issue and the responsibility of media. Write a letter to the newspaper editor expressing concern over content of daily soaps on television channel and their impact on children and youngsters.

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1. Write a Letter to a friend, about the futility of exploding crackers on Deepawali (Diwali).

13th October 2017 Dear Reshma, I wish you a very Happy Diwali in advance! As you know that the festival of Diwali is here, so, I decided to make the people conscious of the imprudence of using crackers on Diwali. I do not find any reason for wasting so much money on exploding crackers, which not only pollute the atmosphere but also cause an outbreak of fire many times. Some people are wasting money in exploding crackers and others don’t have sufficient food to eat and clothes to cover their bodies. So, I have decided to collect rupees fifty from every house to distribute sweets and clothes to the poor and celebrate the festival more meaningfully. Tell me about your opinion on celebrating Diwali in this way. Convey my regards to your parents. Yours lovingly, Shruti 135

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Kolkata

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91, Rameshpuri,

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2. Write a letter to your friend karuna on recovering from serious illness. Express your worries and send greetings to her. ah

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Jagjeevan Colony, New Delhi

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House no. 50, December 21, 2017 Dear Karuna,

I hope you will be doing fine and I am fine as well. Heartiest congratulations on your complete victory over the giant of jaundice that had gripped your life and liver and made your health worsen. Your well being matters the most to me. I can imagine how hard it would have been for you to bear these painful days. But I became incredibly happy after knowing that you overcame the pernicious sickness. This is your second life and I hope you will take better precautions against infectious diseases in future. Stop worrying about your home and office. Take it easy. Get all the rest you can. Get better soon. It would be pleasing to see your olden and smiling self once again and reply if you need me to accompany you. Once you get back to your hale and hearty self, please pay a visit to us. Stay well for ever. My blessings are always with you dear friend. Please convey my sincere regards to your parents, Nitin and Sikha. Yours affectionately, Surbhi 136

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3. Write a letter to your younger brother expressing your concern regarding the recent outbreak of Locky Ransomware and telling him to be wary of his online presence and the precautions he can take to stay protected. ah

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51, Rajauri, Delhi 14th May 2017 Dear Mayank, Hello! How are you? I hope you are doing fine. The recent outbreak of Locky ransomware has caused a frenzy in this world and I hope that you aware of this situation. I am concerned for you as I am aware that you an avid online user and you indulge frequently in e-commerce. Ransomware attacks as a computer worm that takes advantage of open security vulnerabilities by blocking the access to the computer, holding the owner to ransom till the demanded sum of money is paid. In such an outbreak, all of us must be very vigilant of our online presence. I suggest you to install updates of your PC’s operating system and ensure strict antivirus security. Be wary of suspicious emails and pop-ups and do create a backup of your important data in an external hard drive. Yours truely, Prashant 137

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4. Write a letter to your younger brother expressing your concern regarding the blue whale challenge and asking him to be cautious of such games. ah

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Delhi 14th May 2017 Dear Aryan, How have you been? I hope you are doing good. The Blue Whale Challenge has hit the headlines after having claimed the lives of a number of teenagers across the country. This game targets mostly teenagers and young adults who aspire to achieve something big. It is an Internet Game that consists of series of dangerous tasks assigned to its players, for a period of 50 days, with the final challenge being committing suicide. You should know the harmful effects that social media can have on your impressionable mind. Do not download or play the game and inform us as well as the police if you ever come to know about it. Also, avoid sharing your personal information with strangers on social media as it may eventually prove hazardous for you. Yours truely, Shubhangi

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5. Write a letter to your sister persuading her to study hard and to ah

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appear for SBI PO examination.

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Lucknow 10th March 2018 Dear Ankita,

I hope you find this letter in good health. I came to know from mom that you are very confused regarding your career path and you are considering skipping SBI PO recruitment examination. I am concerned for you and let me tell you that your decision to skip the examination goes against your caliber and the hard work you have been doing. You’ve had a brilliant academic record and you’ve been pursuing this dream of becoming a Probationary Officer and getting a government

job

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year.

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underestimating your caliber as you have some misconception about your preparation. I sincerely advise you to appear in the forth-coming SBI PO Examinations. I am sure you will come off with flying colours. Wishing you all the best and give my regards to mom and dad. Yours truly, Anuj 139

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6. You are Meena living at House Number 45 ,304-Anand Colony, Preet Vihar, New Delhi. Write an Informal letter to your elder brother Rajeev,asking him to guide you in making the career choice ah

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House No. 45, 304 – Anand Colony, Preet Vihar, New Delhi 27 November, 2017

My dear brother Rajeev, Hope you are doing well. I am also fine. Just a quick letter to take the help of your guidance in making a stable career choice. As you know I have always been zealous regarding my academic performances and you have always guided me with your witty and beneficial suggestions. The propinquity I share with you again made me call for your help in clearing up my confused mindset about choosing an apposite career choice for myself. I have a strong belief in altruism, and to provide a momentum to my belief, Teaching profession has always enticed me and I will be blessed if I contribute to the future of this country by spreading knowledge I have gained this far with all the probity required for this profession and become a helping hand in lifting our Education System higher. Children of our country need education at any cost and I aspire to fulfill this need. But I have always been penchanted towards singing as well, Music makes me feel relaxed and imperturbable. I feel a different & creative self of myself whenever I start singing. You and my other friends have always applauded my singing skills, also after winning some prestigious Singing Competitions, I am adorned with confidence and want to convert my passion into a willing profession . 140

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After coming to know about my chaotic mindset regarding my career, please guide me once again like you always did. Your guidance will surely help me in making the ultimate decision of my career. Convey my loving regards to you, dad and mom. ah

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With Best Wishes, Meena 7. You are Ankit, write a letter to your friend Karan asking him to be a part of Summer vacation with you. House No. 65, Vikaspuri Colony, Adil Nagar, Chandigarh December 11, 2017 Dear Karan, I hope this letter finds you in the best of your health. I am fine as well. You have not written me for a long time. I think you got very busy with your examinations. How were your exams and how are you doing these days? Please do let me know everything in detail. I am writing this letter to invite you to Chandigarh during the summer vacation, you must be doing nothing particular these days, I suppose. So, please visit us. My family will be very happy to see you in their midst. I have planned a nice programme of sight seeing and picnics during your stay with us. We shall visit many places of our interest. Also the weather is expected to be fine these days. 141

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Do come here as soon as possible. Your company will be a boon to us in these hot and sultry days. Please let me know by which train you will be coming. I shall receive you at the railway station. Please convey my sincere regards to your parents and love to Sanjeev and Rahul. ah

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1st May 2016 Dear Varun, No words can express the deep shock and grief I felt, when I heard about the sad and untimely demise of your dear father. The news was like a bolt from the blue. Your father was a very kind man and was always helpful to others. He possessed great qualities of head and heart. He was, undoubtedly, a man of great courage, rare virtues and an endearing personality. His absence would always be felt. Be bold and look after your mother and your younger brother. Time will surely heal your wounds in due course. My sympathies are with you. May God rest his soul in peace! Yours sincerely, Vaibhav 142

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51, Vikas Marg, Delhi – 110092

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Yours affectionately, Ankit 8. Write a letter to of condolence to your friend who has lost his father.

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9. Write a letter to your friend inviting him to new year’s party. .w

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23rd December 2017 Dear Ankush, I hope this letter of mine will find you find you in the best of your health and spirits. I feel relished to tell you that we will be throwing a new year’s party on 31st of December. It will give me great pleasure if you and your family come to attend the celebration at Aura Club and Lawns, on 31st of December at 7:00 PM. The party will be continuing till midnight. I hope you will grace the gettogether with your presence. Please convey my best regards to your parents and love to Youngers. Yours sincerely, Sarthak 10. Write a letter to your friend inviting him to your brother’s marriage. 51, Hauz Khas, Delhi 23rd April 2018 Dear Ankush, I hope this letter of mine will find you find you in the best of your health and spirits. I am dropping you a line with happy news. You will be glad to know that my brother’s marriage is taking place on 12th May’18. 143

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It will give me great pleasure if you and your family come to attend this wedding ceremony at Aura Club and Lawns, on 12th May at 7:00 PM. The reception will be held at our residence at 6 P.M. the next day. I hope you will grace the occasion with your presence. Please convey my best regards to your parents and love to Youngers. ah

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1-B, Sector-21, Noida April 23, 2017 Dear Asha, Congratulations! It gives me great pleasure that you have topped the list of successful candidates in B.Tech final year examination by securing 92% marks in graduation. It is all the more delightful to learn that you have secured distinction in all the subjects and that you’ve completed your graduation with honours and as a gold medallist. It is indeed very splendid success of you. I know you worked very hard day and night, and therefore you deserved it. You have been very consistent all along your studies. You never ignored your studies. It has paid well now. 144

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11. Considering yourself Kartik/Meenakshi write a letter to your sister Asha congratulating her on her success in graduation examination.

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Yours sincerely, Sarthak

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Again my heartiest congratulations on the happy occasion I am confident you will make a brilliant career and you will get good job offers. ah

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We will meet soon to have a treat. With lots of good wishes for your bright future.

F-243, Anantpur, Kanpur 29th January 2018 Dear Mam, I would sincerely like to express my gratitude towards you for taking out extra hours from classes and helping me out with my doubts. As you are aware, IBPS Exams are coming closer and I was worried if I’d be able to cover the syllabus on time. But you helped me out in clearing my doubts with patience and understanding. This year of preparation has been tough for me and luckily, you were there to understand my situation and help me in my hour of need. I never thought I would be able to appear for this year’s exams with confidence. 145

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12. Write a letter to your mentor thanking her for her efforts in helping you to prepare for upcoming IBPS examinations.

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Yours sincerely, Meenakshi

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Yours sincerely, Kunal Singh

13. You are Mohit and you living in a rented flat in Pune for past 3 years. Your flat requires some urgent repairs and painting. Write a letter to your landlord drawing his attention towards the issue and requesting for his timely action. 1-B, Sector-21, Noida September 19, 2017 Dear Mr. Sharma, I am writing to remind you of some urgent repairs that need to be carried out in the flat I am currently residing. I wrote a letter to you a few days back drawing your attention towards the necessary repairs needed in the house, I am occupying but I have not received any response from your side so far. The roofs of the kitchen and bed room leak profusely in the rainy season. The house has not been white washed for the last three years. The doors and windows are to be painted. 146

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Kindly look into the matter as soon as possible to make my stay comfortable. I’d be grateful if you could contact me as soon as possible to arrange a time for the repair work to be carried out. ah

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Yours sincerely, Mohit PRACTICE EXERCISE Write a letter to your parents telling them the challenges you are facing due to tough competition in banking recruitment exams and how you plan to overcome them. Considering yourself Kirti/Ankush, Write a letter to your brother Suresh explaining the present advantages of mobile banking and its ease of use.·Write a letter to your friend inviting him for a seminar on climate change to be held in your college. Write a letter to your brother explaining him the benefits of life insurance. Write a letter to your daughter who is living in Delhi, expressing your concern for her safety due to increase in crime rate in the city. Write a letter to your pen friend expressing your views on net neutrality.

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PREICS WRITING TIPS

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Reading Read through the given passage carefully, taking notes (write in your own words, avoid copying) as you go along, ignoring the points that are not so important. Look up all unfamiliar words, phrases, and citations. Read the text keeping in mind that you do not miss out the key ideas that need to be mentioned in the précis.

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récis writing is an important part of descriptive paper of any competitive exam. Like a fluid, writing is compressible and a compressed form of any long passage is termed as précis writing. This form of writing needs to be terse, brief, concise and to the point. The word itself means a concise, abridged statement or a summary. To make a précis of a given passage, one needs to have a clear understanding of the passage so that he/she is able to jot down its key points in a way that best expresses the given passage as clearly and as briefly as possible. The key features of précis writing are: Clarity that is achieved by avoiding vagueness, fuzziness and ambiguity. Conciseness that refers to the minimal number of words need to convey the given information without sacrificing clarity. Always remember that number of words in the précis should always be one third of that of the given paragraph and it shouldn’t be written down in more than one paragraph.

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If you could not understand the meaning of the passage then reread it until you are confident about your understanding of the text. Make sure that the points that you note down match your current understanding of the given passage. Pay attention to the tone and purpose of the text so as you are able to find out the most appropriate title for your piece of writing. Mark all the important facts containing the essential thoughts. Writing Identify the central theme of the given passage and rewrite it in your own words without putting in your own ideas (your own ideas can change the message that is being conveyed by the original passage). Now prepare a draft explaining the main point of each section on your own. Provide an appropriate title to your précis. Trim down your draft into one detailed yet concise passage. Count the number of words. If the number is more than the required number (i.e. one third of the number of words in the given passage) then try to shorten the précis. If the number is lesser than required then try to find out if you are missing out some of the important points, if yes, put them in your précis. Read through your précis again if it conveys the original meaning of the given passage. Write down your final/correct copy of your précis. Revising Check whether your précis follows the basic précis structure. It should also be grammatically correct, rational, and precise. Make sure it doesn’t exceed word limit. ah

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TIPS FOR PRÉCIS WRITING

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Reduce wordy phrases to single words.

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Use your own words as far as possible.

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Replace complex words with simple ones.

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Reduce verb phrases to simple verbs. Avoid adding your personal opinion. Avoid repetition. Do not use any idioms/phrases on your own. Write a heading for each section. Use only simple figures of speech. Punctuate and spell correctly. Retain the logical order of the thoughts of the original passage. 1. Expanding Tax Base & GDP The demonetisation of high-value currency notes and the advent of the goods and services tax regime have triggered a surge in the number of those filing taxes in the country. The Economic Survey argues that the large gains on the indirect and direct tax fronts indicate that the primary intentions behind the two big-bang economic strides — of formalising the economy and bringing more income into the tax net — have been met to some extent. From about 59 million individuals who filed income tax returns or whose tax was deducted at source in 2015-16, the number of tax-filers rose by 10.1 million since the note ban. Stripped of statistical adjustments to avoid a bias in findings, the Survey assesses that 150

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roughly 1.8 million, or 3% of the existing compliers, started paying ah

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up. Many of them are reporting incomes close to the ¹ 2.5-lakh threshold for personal income tax, so this may not swell the dp

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exchequer much. But it holds potential for growth as the new taxpayers progress in their vocations. Personal income tax

country where just 4% of adults pay personal income tax, though the government reckons that number should be 23%. The Survey finds a 50% increase in unique indirect taxpayers in the first six months of GST, with around 10 million registered taxpayers now compared to an estimated 6.5 million pre-GST. The GST regime, despite the initial chinks, could end up boosting India’s macro-economic stability by breaking what the Survey terms ‘inertia’ of the tax-GDP ratio. This ratio for the Centre has remained at the same level since the 1980s, though the economy grew at an annual average of about 6.5%. The Survey has noted that both of India’s underlying macro weaknesses — the fiscal and current account deficits — tend to get exacerbated when oil prices move up. A wider tax base could at least help tackle the former. Fixing exporters’ GST woes and continuing to ease the transition pains under its new features, such as e-way bills to deter evasion, would be critical to attain the 7%-7.5% growth projected for the coming year. At the same time, the government needs a road map 151

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2017-18, compared to 2% between 2013-14 and 2015-16. This may seem glacial progress but could be considered a tipping point in a

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to expand the direct tax pie by pruning blanket exemptions for ah

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vocations such as farming and using a more proactive Big Datadriven approach to target evaders. The government must reward dp

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this tax base expansion by offering the ‘compliant’ some relief in the Budget, even if it means slashing high duties on petroleum

Précis A WIDER NET: ON THE EXPANDING TAX BASE Demonetisation brought a positive impact in numbers of taxpayers in the country. This surge in the number of those filing taxes is clear from the Economic Survey which has also contributed in formalising the economy. Demonetisation has brought more income into the tax net to some extent. According to the survey, many of the taxpayer reported incomes close to the ¹ 2.5-lakh threshold for personal income tax, so this may not reflect as heavy in government’s revenue but is considered as a growth as new taxpayer may progress in their vocations. A rise of 2.3% in GDP is expected in 2017-18, but all this amounts to a fraction of 4% of adults who pay personal income tax, where the government expected it should be 23%. GST has also contributed 50% in unique indirect taxpayers in the first six months of its implementation and it is expected despite initial lows it will help to boost India’s macroeconomic stability. The survey noted that the country is bound by two Marco weaknesses, the first being the fiscal and current account deficits, the second is that the country gets exacerbated 152

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(Passage Source- The Hindu)

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products. After all, high indirect taxes pinch the poorest the most.

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when oil prices move up. A GDP growth of 7%-7.5% can be attained by taking certain measures like fixing export GST troubles and promoting as e-way bills to deter tax-evasion, and the government must tighten its ropes on blanket exemption on various vocations to target tax-evaders. The government should keep a tap on high indirect tax and reward tax base expansion by offering some relief in the Budget. ah

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Torrid summers, when the mercury soars 4°C to 6°C above the average and produces heatwaves in several States between April and June, may become more frequent in coming years. Not only will there be more hot days, the spells of heat stress sweeping across much of India are likely to grow longer. The scientific consensus is that heatwaves will grow stronger and expand their geographical spread in the south, influenced by the sea surface temperature in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. With rising greenhouse gases, their impact can only intensify. Though the number of people dying due to heat stress last year was half of the previous year’s toll of 2,040, the need to evolve detailed action plans at the level of States, districts and cities is now critical. It is encouraging that the National Disaster Management Authority is guiding States, in partnership with the India Meteorological Department, to evolve heat action plan protocols. The response to distress caused by excessive heat has to be both speedy and professional. Europe upgraded its preparedness to handle a crisis after a crippling heatwave in 2003 killed thousands of people, over 14,800 of them in France alone. In the Indian context, crop failures

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and disruption of electricity supply due to sudden peak demand are common. People experience dehydration, heat cramps and deadly heatstroke. The elderly are particularly at risk, since higher temperatures affect blood viscosity and raise the risk of thrombosis. Better meteorological forecasting can provide an early warning about a coming hot spell during the summer window. This gives the NDMA and the States sufficient opportunity to launch an action protocol: to inform the public as soon as the temperature crosses the threshold fixed by the IMD, advise on precautionary measures, and aid those who are most vulnerable, such as older adults, farm workers and those pursuing outdoor vocations. Ahmedabad, for instance, drew up a city-level action plan in the wake of its 46.8°C heatwave of 2010 with support from public health institutions. Preparing the health system to identify symptoms of heat stress and providing treatment through urban health centres is one intervention it decided upon. Reviewing school timetables, rescheduling work timings to cooler hours, making water widely available and reserving religious sites and libraries as cooling centres were others. European and American policy responses, such as creating green and blue urban spaces to provide tree shade and higher moisture, as well as housing design that cuts heat through the albedo effect of reflected solar energy, hold universal appeal. Some of these passive defences are actually integral to vernacular practices and will serve everyone well. It is essential to study the efficacy of heat action plans and share the results across States to achieve best practices. (Passage Source- The Hindu) ah

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In upcoming year, India is expected to have intense summers with mercury soaring 4°C to 6°C above the average between the months of April and June and with increase in number of hot days every year. According to the scientific consensus the heatwaves will be prolonged, spread in the south of the country due to influence of sea surface temperature. All of this is expected to intensify due to rising greenhouse gases. Seeing the increasing number of casualties due to heat stress, it is time that concerned authorities should work on evolving heat action protocol to facilitate speedy response in situation of heat distress. In India heatwaves cause a chaos in form of irregular power supply and people experiencing major health issues, especially the elderly people are at a higher risk as of medical emergencies. This can be avoided to a certain extent if meteorological forecasting can provide an early warning to the people so that precautionary measures can be taken to avoid health issues. A city level action plan, just as the one implemented in Ahmedabad in the wake of 46.8°C heatwave of 2010 can also help in avoiding major casualties. Few other precautionary measure like reviewing school timetables, rescheduling work timings to cooler hours, making water widely available can also help to a large extent. India can also learn from European and American policy responses that cuts heat and hols universal appeal, as some of these passive defences will serve everyone well. Efficacy of the heat action plan should be studied and result should be shared across State to achieve a better solution. For any detail mail us at [email protected]

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3. How India must respond to a Low HDI rank

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and a half decades of liberalisation had been accompanied by a parallel investment in people? Few will argue that the rise in incomes that came with a more open economy has not translated into a higher quality of life for many Indians and raised overall life expectancy at birth by more than 10 years from the 1990 level, to reach 68.3 years. Progress has also been made in raising awareness about issues affecting women’s empowerment, such as public safety, acid attacks, discrimination in inheritance rights and lack of equal

employment opportunity.

Policy reforms have been

instituted in some of these areas as a result. But as the HDI data show, significant inequalities persist, particularly between States and regions, which act as major barriers to improvement. The percentage of women in the workforce is the lowest in India among the BRICS countries, and the national record on the population that lives in severe multidimensional poverty is also the worst in the bloc. These are clear pointers to the lost decades for India, when universalisation of education and health care could have pulled deprived sections out of the poverty trap. A central focus on social indicators is necessary for India to break free from its position as an 156

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significantly better if the higher economic growth trajectory of two

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the UNDP to be $16 billion in 2014 in six consumption areas

standards accessible to all and delivering on the promised higher budgetary outlay for health care. Bolstered by a conscious effort to help traditionally backward regions, such policies will help eliminate the losses produced by inequalities that lower national human development indices. (Passage Source- The Hindu) Précis SUPERPOWER DREAMS: ON HOW INDIA MUST RESPOND TO A LOW HDI RANK The UNDP’s Human Development Index for 2015, shows India ranks 131 among 188 countries which signifies very low investment in people. India’s open economy structure’s benefits have not translated into a higher quality of life for many citizen of the country but has and raised overall life expectancy at birth by more than 10 years. Although some progress has been made in raising awareness about issues affecting women’s empowerment and safety but HDI data show there is significant inequality in many States or regions that hinders the nation’s improvement. India having the lowest percentage of working women among the BRICS 157

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sources should go towards making public education of high

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including gold and aviation fuel. The rise in revenues from all

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countries and the country’s huge population immersed in multidimensional poverty are the reasons for India being on the backfoot, whereas proper education and healthcare for all could have helped with the nation’s poverty issues. If the country focuses on the social indicators then this situation can be dealt with, there is a dire need to take measures to eliminate the subsidies for the richest quintile. There is need to invest revenue to provide quality education and health care facilities to the public of the nation along with constant efforts to help backward regions and communities. All of this will help in the longer run to overcome losses that inequalities that lower national human development indices. ah

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The successful test-firing of the long-range ballistic missile Agni-V for the fourth time is a significant step towards building a credible nuclear deterrence. With this test and the recent commissioning of the indigenously built nuclear submarine INS Arihant, India is inching towards creating a robust and world-class second-strike capability. For a nation sworn to no-first-use of nuclear weapons, a reliable second-strike capability is an absolute necessity. In the worst-case scenario, the country should have the ability to withstand an enemy nuclear strike on its key locations and launch a successful second strike. Agni-V rose up from a canister mounted on a truck stationed at Dr. Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha, and went up a few hundred kilometres before following a ballistic trajectory and splashing down near Australian waters, some 20 minutes after the launch. This was the fourth test of the Agni-V missile, but the

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4. India’s Steps Towards a Nuclear Power Nation

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second from a canister mounted on a road mobile launcher. With the four tests, Agni-V is now ready for induction into the Strategic Forces Command, which already operates other Agni missiles with a target range from 700 km to 4,000 km, besides Prithvi-II. ah

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(Passage Source- The Hindu)

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However, despite the impressive strides made by the security establishment in developing nuclear weapons and delivery platforms, there is still a long way to go before the nuclear triad is complete and competent. Just a few days ago, the Nirbhay land attack cruise missile meant to carry nuclear warheads failed for the fourth time during a test. On December 21, it veered off its designated flight path within a couple of minutes of launch, and it had to be destroyed mid-air. There are several such gaps to be filled to ensure a foolproof nuclear triad. A credible second-strike capability should also be complemented by a modern, powerful military. The Indian military is in crying need of modernisation across its three arms. The Air Force has a huge shortage of fighters; the Navy’s submarine arm is far from meeting multiple challenges; and the Army needs an array of new platforms. Most importantly, India also needs to consistently showcase itself as a responsible nuclear power, and not just through a no-first-strike policy. India has a mature political and military leadership today. In a complex global strategic environment, where nations issue nuclear threats based on fake news and global powers threaten to add to their already bulky arsenal, it is important to be recognised as a responsible democracy.

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India is moving towards a credible nuclear deterrence with

submarine INS Arihant. These events assure India’s step towards gaining ability to respond to a nuclear attack with powerful retaliation and the country should have the ability to withstand an enemy’s nuclear strike on its key locations. After completion of 4 tests, Agni-V is now ready for induction into the Strategic Forces Command, which already operates other Agni and Prithvi missiles. Despite all of this, India still has a long way to go before the nuclear triad is complete and competent. After the failed launch of Nirbhay land attack cruise missile for the fourth time, there are certain gaps to be filled to ensure a foolproof nuclear traid. All three major Indian Defence forces, the Indian Navy, the Army and the Air Force are dealing with shortages and multiple challenges, this needs to be dealt with to meet the agenda of modernisation across Indian military. Seeing the scenario complex global strategic environment, where there is an increased rate of nuclear threat and global powers adding more and more to their already bulky arsenal it is important that India strengthen its ground as a responsible nuclear power nation and a responsible democracy as well.

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the fourth time and the recent commissioning of the nuclear

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successful test-firing of the long-range ballistic missile Agni-V for

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5. Capitalism

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Capitalist policies are based on the precipice of allowing capital holders the freedom to proceed with production activities as they please. There are minimal restrictions governing land and labour allowing capitalists the upper hand when it comes to production decisions. While this might be a great incentive to boost production and subsequently, economic growth in the country, it is often cited as the biggest criticism of the capitalist system. It gives maximum leverage to the capital holders, who can determine the course of production completely without having to take into account ethical dilemmas like workers conditions, compensation, environmental safeguards etc. There is a clear advantage to owners of capital, be they self made or inheritors of wealth. Thus, the rich have ample opportunities to make profits while employing the poorer sections of society who labour away at low salaries. Because production activities are fuelled by the desire to make money, there is no guarantee of welfare in such a setup.

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The point being stressed upon here is that capitalism does not focus on furthering equality among various income groups. The rich continue to make large sums of money due to the conducive environment in the economy while the lower income groups have to make do with fixed monthly wages. Hence, the gap between the rich and poor continues to broaden without any help from government regulations. Such inequality in distribution of wealth and power in the economy leads to societal imbalance which has immediate and often extreme reactions from the masses.

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The socialist school of thought considers capitalism to be irrational owing to the great inconsistencies and inequalities brought about by such a system. Revolutionary tendencies rise among the majority of the population which should be a great cause of concern for the government of such a nation. The most recent example of such a situation arising in the modern world is the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement in New York. It began in one city as a protest by the masses against the mass hoarding of wealth by the elite who compose only one per cent of the population. This gradually spread to other parts of the world which follow a capitalist system of economy. This is a serious matter with long lasting ramifications and constitutes one of the biggest disadvantages of capitalism. A capitalist economic system allows enough freedom for property holders to establish their influence in the markets without much restriction on the extent of this spread. This leads to monopolisation of markets by one or a few major players. This permits a handful of firms to dominate the market and govern prime factors like prices, quantity supplied and quality of product without any opposition from other competitors. This also creates barriers to entry for other players in the market due to a high degree of control being exercised by the firms monopolising the markets. Since a capitalist society is seen as the diametrically opposite end of a socialist society, it suffices to say that the former does not consider the social needs of the nation as its primary objective. Stimulus to economic growth is the prime purpose of such a market setup. This overlooking of the needs of the masses leads to problems like unemployment, poverty and exploitation of labour. Labour unions are squashed and the general needs of the workers could be overlooked in such a setup. This causes some degree of ah

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social unrest among the section of the population which does not have access to capital or property. As highlighted above, such a situation could have greater and more serious ramifications for the government. In summary, the main disadvantages of capitalism revolve around the high degree of inequality which stems directly and indirectly as a result of it. That being said, capitalism has proven itself to be a stable economic system which is being applied by numerous developed nations around the world. Hence, it might be premature to state that the disadvantages of capitalism are enough to make it fail as an effective economic system as predicted by Marx, the “father of socialism”. It is a strong system which allows the freedom to fulfill human desires and will continue to remain in the world for a long time to come. ah

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Capitalism is an economic system that allows capital holders to have the freedom to control their production activities. As the production activities are controlled by the capitalists, the main purpose of these activities is profit making. In this capitalistic approach, economic growth is maximised but the working conditions and compensation of the low wage workers is compromised in order to gain more and more profit. Capitalism leads to higher inequalities in distribution of wealth and resources. In capitalistic economy, the poor is exploited by the rich and therefore social inequality and wealth gap increases. Monopoly is another evil which is introduced by this system. Large firms have a huge influence on the market and therefore it becomes inevitable to stop monopolisation of the market. Capitalist system is the opposite of socialism. In a socialist society, the social needs of the 163

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DISADVANTAGES OF CAPITALISM

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people are of prime importance. Labour unions are powerless in capitalist economy. These unions are unable to protect labourers from exploitation. So the main drawback of capitalism is the inequality that it creates. Capitalism is adopted by many developed nations .Even after having so many disadvantages, this system is very stable and continues to remain the popular choice among the developed economies. Socialists view this system as a failure but it continues to thrive. ah

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To understand the schism, we need to look in detail at the complexities of Tibet’s history and theology as it will give us an insight on what actually transpired which resulted in the schism. Tibet adopted Buddhism during the earliest days of its recorded history in the seventh century. According to Buddhist belief, the legendary Indian yogi Padma Sambhava had converted Tibetan local spirits to be protectors of Buddhism, creating the transcendental foundation for the introduction of monasteries. This earliest form of Buddhism came to be known imprecisely but commonly as “Red Hat Buddhism.” Following the example of Padma Sambhava, the adherents of the “Red Hat Buddhism” endorsed an intellectual approach that rejected linear thought process making as well as social rules and restraints in their search for enlightenment. As a way to break through this linear thinking process, the Red Hat Buddhists practiced esoteric rites that sometimes clashed with the ordinary notions of social conduct. In response, the Gelukpa order came into existence in the 15th century as a reform movement that gave importance to monastic discipline and a scholastic understanding of the tenets of Buddhism. At its inception, it was nonsectarian (not involving or relating to different religious sects or political groups), adopting

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6. Schism

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treatises from a wide array of Tibetan philosophical schools. However, its members though not in large number believed that some of the practices of the Red Hat Buddhists were less effective and potentially harmful for spiritual cultivation. Although it was a minor sect at first, it soon gained popularity and started becoming popular because of the philosophical vigorousness and the strict discipline of its monks. A lineage of reincarnated lamas, later to be known as the Dalai Lamas, was a source of influential figures and learned clerics within the order. In the 16th and early 17th century, Tibet suffered from political conflicts and sectarian fighting among its Buddhist orders, though doctrinal differences among the sects were not necessarily at the core of this unrest. The unrest continued for centuries as the Buddhist monasteries and local Tibetan nobles set up alliances for the pursuit of wealth and power, consequently clashing with others seeking the same. With the assistance of some noble clans and Mongolian military support, the Gelukpa were able to gain political power in 1642, with the Fifth Dalai Lama as its paramount leader. ah

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Comprehending the schism lies in examining the intricacies of Tibet’s history. Indian Yogi Padma Sambhava was believed to have converted Tibetian local spirits to be the protectors of Buddhism, thereby laying the metaphysical foundation for the earliest form of Buddhism, imprecisely called “Red Hat Buddhism”. The Red Hat Buddhists rejected conventional thinking and practiced esoteric rites instead which clashed with mundane 165

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THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND FOR THE SCHISM

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morality. The Gelukpa order then came in the 15th century and emphasized monastic discipline. However, few members doubted the order’s effectiveness and it soon grew into popularity due to philosophical vigorousness and strict discipline. Dalai Lamas was a prominent figure within the order. Tibet suffered from political disunity and sectarian fighting around 17 th century which ah

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Even as the Uttarakhand high court recently declared Ganga and Yamuna rivers as living entities, bestowing on them legal rights of a person, an RTI query has revealed that the waters of the Ganga along Haridwar are not even fit for bathing. Tests were conducted at 11 locations in Uttarakhand over a distance of 294km along the river, taking into account four main indicators of river water quality – temperature, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand and coliform (bacteria). On most of these indicators the Ganga failed to meet acceptable standards, showing high levels of bio-pollutants and toxic materials. There’s no denying that rivers in India are highly revered. Considered as sources of life in a largely agrarian country, rivers have cultural, spiritual and religious connotations. However, it is also a fact that physical protection of rivers in India is very poor. With greater industrialisation and urbanisation, rivers have increasingly become depositories of urban waste and industrial effluents. 166

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7. Rivers

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continued for centuries and halted eventually in 1642 when the Gelukpa with Mongolian military support were able to assume political authority with the Fifth Dalai Lama as its paramount leader.

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The Ganga Action Plan (GAP) has seen more than Rs 1,800 crore spent over three decades on cleaning the Ganga with little improvement. The current government intends to spend around Rs 20,000 crore over five years on the NamamiGange Project. But apart from minor variations on GAP, the new project offers more of the old focus on sewage treatment plants. The problem with this topdown approach is that it fails to account for the lack of coordination among the various states through which rivers flow. In fact, coordination on this score is often mired in Centrestate and stateto-state politics. Given this scenario, it would be far better to push a bottom-up approach where people living along rivers become primary agents of change. This is best exemplified by the case of a village panchayat in Kerala’s Alappuzha district reviving the Kuttemperoor channel of the Pamba and Achankovil rivers. It’s time to translate our reverence for rivers into actual conservation efforts. ah

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Rivers in India inspite of being culturally, religiously and spiritually important are treated as urban and industrial waste depositories. River Ganga lagged behind on key indicators of river quality inspite of the Rs.1800 crores spent on Ganga Action Plan, a top -down approach for revival,for the last three decades due to lack of coordination among states and centre -state politics. A bottom-up approach,where the inhabitants are the key change maker, would be effective as seen in Kerala’s I Allapuza district where village panchayats have revived the rivers. 167

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RIVERS- TIME FOR BOTTOM UP APPROACH

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8. Black Money

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There are many misconceptions about how flows of black money are generated. One prominent misconception is the apparent belief among policymakers that much of it is because of the existence of the “informal economy”, which relies heavily on cash-based transactions. By contrast, it is believed that the formal economy, in which payments are made through cheque or in the digital mode, is somehow much less amenable to corruption and tax evasion. Indeed, this is the chief justification provided for the aggressive pushing of cashless exchange that is now being touted as the main “achievement” of the drastic demonetisation exercise. This simplistic equation between non-formal, cash-based activities and some sort of tax evasion or criminality is a complete misunderstanding of the nature of the informal economy in India. The formalisation of the economy is a desirable goal (although it cannot be achieved almost at gunpoint), but lack of it hardly indicates that all those who are not lucky enough to be employed in formal, registered economic activities are thereby engaged in some subterfuge or corrupt or criminal activities. In India, close to half of the national income is generated by informal activities, and more than 90 per cent of the workers in the economy are either selfemployed or working on informal contracts. The close, symbiotic interdependence between the formal and the informal sectors also means that a strict dichotomy between the two cannot be made. Further, most illegal or tax-evading strategies do not necessarily rely on “informal” economic arrangements—rather they are based on manipulation and misstatement of recorded activities, mostly within the formal sector. All the major scams that have occurred in India over the past decade provide justification for this.

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Indeed, an anti-corruption approach defined by clamping down on cash transactions rather than dealing with the plethora of non-cash methods can hardly be justified even within the government. The fact that it persists at all speaks volumes about the poor institutional memory that characterises policy discussion in India today. After all, just five years ago, in 2012, a White Paper of the Ministry of Finance made it clear that one of the main ways in which black money in the form of tax evasion is generated is by hiding, or wrongly reporting, transactions and then seeking to hide the audit trail. This occurs through various methods such as underreporting revenues or receipts or production; inflating expenses; and not correctly reporting workers employed so as to avoid statutory obligations for their welfare. For companies involved in imports and exports, trade misinvoicing is a major source of financial wrongdoing. Note that none of these is dependent in any way on cash transactions—indeed, they can be easily and effectively carried out in cashless modes. ah

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“Generation of Black money” often constitutes a number of misconceptions, one notable of them being - having belief that the flow of black money is due to the existence of informal economy which profoundly anticipates cash-based transactions. However, another belief that formal economy is much less susceptible to corruption and tax evasion is a vague justification as more than 90 per cent of the workers are engaged in non-formal activities and help in initiating almost half of the national income. In fact, both these sectors are interdependent and hardly draw any line of distinction. 169

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THE REAL BLACK MONEY

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Précis

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Moreover it is interesting to note that most of the major scams that got highlighted over the past one decade in the country vindicate the role of formal economy in illegal or tax-evading strategies through manipulation and misstatement of recorded activities and thus nullifying any such claims against informal economy. Suppressing cash transactions rather than dealing with non-cash methods as an anti-corruption approach questions the potency of India’s policy developing ability. ah

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If there is one strong message from the findings of the Annual Status of Education Report (Rural) 2017, it is that the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act should cover the entire spectrum of 18 years, and not confine itself to those aged 6 to 14. Guaranteed inclusion will empower those in the 14-18 age group who are not enrolled anywhere, and help them acquire finishing education that is so vital to their participation in the workforce. The ASER sample study estimates that 14% of this age group — a total of 125 million young Indians in this category — are not enrolled. It is absolutely essential for all of them to get an education that equips them with the skills, especially job-oriented vocational capabilities, if the expectation of a demographic dividend is to be meaningful. Unfortunately, the state of rural elementary education is far from encouraging. To begin with, only 5% of the respondents in the survey, which was aided by the NGO Pratham, reported doing any kind of vocational course, and even among this small minority a third were enrolled for three months or less. Moreover, learning outcomes for those who had progressed to higher levels of schooling were shockingly low: only 43% of the youth could solve an arithmetic problem involving division of a three-digit number by a single digit; among those who were no longer in school, the percentage was sharply lower.

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9. The Right to Free, Compulsory Education

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The insights available from successive studies point to progress being made in raw enrolment of children in school, but miserable failures in achieving learning outcomes. Also, enrolment figures often do not mean high attendance. It is not surprising, therefore, that a significant section of secondary level students find it difficult to read standard texts meant for junior classes or locate their own State on the map. There are also discrete differences among States on the number of youth who are not on the rolls in appropriate levels of schooling, with 29.4% of both boys and girls aged 17-18 not enrolled in a Chhattisgarh district, compared to 4.5% and 3.9%, respectively, in a Kerala district. The ASER data point to a massive digital divide, with 61% of respondents stating they had never used the Internet, and 56% a computer, while mobile telephony was accessible to 73%. Here too, girls were worse off in terms of access to computers and the Internet. Scaling up access to these can be achieved by bringing all children under the umbrella of a school, college or training institution. All expenditure on good education is bound to have a multiplier effect on productivity. What is needed is a vision that will translate the objectives of the RTE Act into a comprehensive guarantee, expanding its scope to cover all levels of education. This will remove the lacuna in policy that awaits remedy seven decades after Independence. (Passage Source- The Hindu) Précis ah

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The RTE Act needs a vision to translate the objectives into a comprehensive guarantee, expanding its scope to cover all levels of education. The ASER sample study findings states 125 million children, aged 14-18 who continue to remain unenrolled. This

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LEFT BEHIND: THE RIGHT TO FREE, COMPULSORY EDUCATION

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points out the fact that the Act’s confinement to provision of education to those between 6 to 14 is a deterrent to the very objective of equipping the young with job-oriented vocational capabilities. To have a skilled workforce it is necessary to provide finishing education to those above 14. While raw enrolment continues to scale up, the learning outcomes are still far from satisfactory with secondary level students facing difficulty in handling exercises of lower classes. Moreover, in an era of digital education, still 61% never had access to internet and 56% to even a computer, not to mention further gender based downgrading in numbers as according to ASER survey . It is therefore imperative to bring children up to the age of 18 under the umbrella of an institution to ensure vocational and digital education thus providing with a meaningful demographic dividend and a skilled workforce. ah

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The excellence of a school education system must be assessed by the creative individuals it produces. That principle can be the only meaningful guide for the Central Board of Secondary Education, as it once again tweaks its testing system to make the Class X Board examination compulsory for all students from 2018. It is wrong to believe that students in the CBSE system are not being assessed with sufficient rigour: the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) method that it follows is aimed at identifying learning difficulties periodically and instituting remedial measures, rather than raising stress with a make-or-break public examination at the secondary level. This philosophy helps students master various topics and discover their aptitude in the course of a year, eliminating the chances of a single rote-learning test that could produce an aberrant result. The gains of such a system should not

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10. Class X Board exams

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be thrown away in the quest to bring about ‘uniformity’ in the Class X education pattern across the country. If anything, it is learning outcomes and creative brilliance assessed through nonritualistic aptitude tests that should rate the capacity of an educational board. Such an approach would also encourage teachers to innovate conceptually, rather than drill students to face an examination. The argument in favour of a compulsory Class X Board examination made by Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar is that its absence discriminates against candidates of State boards. In fact, the Minister announced his intent of returning to a compulsory Board examination well before the CBSE governing body formally announced it. The logic, however, is flawed. Uniformity militates against creative educational methods, and a test that is no more than a straitjacket crushes the initiative of teacher and student. The CBSE would, therefore, do well to avoid homogenisation, and retain sufficient scope for true learning. This can be done by giving the CCE system — which the Board calls a balance between incessant tests and a single annual assessment — equal weightage, even if all students take a Board examination for Class X. As the CBSE puts it, overdependence on a single examination deprives the learner of motivation and opportunities for reflection on his or her work. It also does not find favour with the National Curriculum Framework 2005 that emphasised greater flexibility for teachers to decide on how to train students in concepts and help them learn at their own pace. What India needs is a school-level assessment method to identify actual learning that would remove barriers to students freely migrating across State boards. (Passage Source- The Hindu) ah

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BACK TO CLASS X BOARD EXAMS

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The CBSE Board has mandated the Class X Board examination for

and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE). That way, students discover their aptitude instead of rote learning in board examinations. This non-ritualistic approach also encouraged teachers to become innovative and shouldn’t be taken down just to bring about uniformity in Class X assessment. Learning outcomes and creative brilliance assessed through non-ritualistic aptitude tests should rate the capacity of an educational board. As per a flawed logic given by Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar, the current system is unjust for candidates of State boards. The board exams will only kill the creative educational system that can only be sustained by following CCE system: equal weightage, even if all students take a Board examination for Class X. The new system goes opposite to the National Curriculum Framework 2005 which emphasizes on innovative teaching methodologies. India needs a school-level assessment method that would let students migrate freely across State boards.

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public examination, followed a remedial measure of Continuous

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the students again. CBSE, instead of following a stress-giving

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Q1 . Read the following passage and write a Precis in 300 words. ss re

The government’s intention to launch the world’s largest health

of health-care finance when the supply side, the public health infrastructure, is in a shambles? Experience with insurance schemes, such as the Centre’s Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana and Andhra Pradesh’s Rajiv Aarogyasri, show how demand side interventions can miss the mark. While the RSBY and Aarogyasri did improve access to health-care overall, they failed to reach the most vulnerable sections. At times they led to unnecessary medical procedures and increased out-of-pocket expenditure for poor people, both of which are undesirable outcomes. These showed that unless the public health system can compete with the private in utilising funds from such insurance schemes, medical care will remain elusive for those who need it most. Policymakers behind the NHPS, which will cost the government around ¹ 5,000 crore in its first year, must take heed. Both RSBY and Aarogyasri are cashless hospitalisation schemes. While both benefited people living below the poverty line, overreliance on private hospitals and poor monitoring watered down their impact. According to one Gujarat-based study, a majority of RSBY insured patients ended up spending about 10% of their 175

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raises an important issue. Should the focus be on the demand side

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insurance programme, the National Health Protection Scheme,

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annual income during hospitalisation, because hospitals still ah

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compensated. A study in Andhra Pradesh found that beneficiaries

tackle this adequately. Possibly the most problematic fallout was mass hysterectomies done in Andhra Pradesh. Between 2008 and 2010, private hospitals removed the uteri of thousands of women unnecessarily, to make a quick buck. Thus, perverse incentives can drive the private sector to sabotage schemes that are not well monitored. The second problem with over-reliance on the private sector is that it limits the reach of such programmes. Evidence from RSBY and Aarogyasri shows that as distance from empanelled hospitals grew in Andhra and Gujarat, fewer people benefited from them — most empanelled hospitals are private and urban. Scheduled Tribe and rural households typically missed out, while richer quintiles of the population benefited. There can be much gained from the NHPS if the government views it as the first step towards universal health care, rather than a panacea to all of India’s health-care woes. The second, and a long-awaited, step is to reform the public health system. Without this, an insurance scheme, no matter how ambitious, will be a band-aid. (Passage Source- The Hindu) 176

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most of their money on outpatient care, and Aarogyasri didn’t

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spent more from their own pockets under Aarogyasri. They spent

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Q2 . Read the following passage and write a Precis in 250 words. ah

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on petroleum products, at the expense of state governments. The

products, as road and infrastructure cess. It follows that the duties would go to the central government and not be part-devolved to the states. The move may well be deemed fiscally prudent, but is surely questionable in the spirit of fiscal federalism and the constitutional mandate. The global prices of crude oil are expected to stay rather muted albeit range-bound in the months ahead, and yet the Budget estimates a veritable bonanza of about Rs 1.1lakh crore in additional oil revenues thanks to the cessification of the additional duties. The finance minister has stated, rightly, that state governments do not seem to be keen on bringing oil products under the goods and services tax (GST) regime. It appears that the Centre is not particularly interested in revamping oil taxes either. But we do need to modernise and overhaul the taxes on oil products, and bring them under the purview of GST. We need to do away with the perverse system of tax-on-tax and cascading charges along the oil value chain. It comes in the way of efficiency improvement in transport, logistics and supply, and especially so with infrastructural bottlenecks. 177

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diesel, along with additional duty of excise on the two main oil

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Budget proposes to label additional duty of customs on petrol and

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True, there is only limited tax set-offs even under GST on oil products internationally. But we do need to adopt such a system, for a more efficient tax regime. Speed is of the essence; the technoeconomic change in the transport paradigm away from oil and the internal-combustion engine makes it all the more imperative to widen the consumption tax base and not depend hugely and increasingly on oil. (Passage Source- The Economic Times) ah

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India has launched the second phase of the programme to eliminate the use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) as part of its commitment under the Montreal Protocol, which requires the complete removal of chemicals that result in ozone depletion and aid global warming. These are used mainly in the air-conditioning, refrigeration, polyurethane foam manufacturing and cold chain sectors, and must be replaced with better alternatives. All these sectors are in high growth mode as emerging economies witness greater urbanisation and higher agricultural productivity. The data for refrigerant consumption during 2015 compiled by the European Union show that in the developing world, split air-conditioning units, car ACs and commercial refrigeration record the highest use of these chemicals. It is imperative the Central government ensures that its efforts to upgrade industries using the $44.1 million in funding available under the Protocol are scaled up to meet the need fully. Modernising the technology used by 400 industrial units, many of them small and medium enterprises, by 2023 has to be

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Q3 . Read the following passage and write a Precis in 250 words.

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complemented by policy changes that encourage adoption by consumers. Systemic change requires the active participation of State governments, which can enact and enforce new building codes and purchase regulations that are envisaged in the current phase. Newer refrigerants with lower global warming potential are available to industry, and there are some early adopters, while research on chemicals with greater energy reduction and very low contribution to global warming has to continue. Credentialed training of service technicians in the newer technologies is welcome as it will bring about change of refrigerants used in the repair and replacement market and create additional employment. It is important to make consumers aware of green options among products in terms of the underlying technologies, and incentivise adoption through tax structures. ah

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The Environment Ministry’s proposal to prescribe energy-efficient temperature limits for air-conditioning units in public facilities is promising. A lot of energy is wasted because of poor infrastructure and lack of understanding of efficiency metrics. Equally, the Centre should conduct audit of public buildings to determine whether they are suitably designed, as climate control relies as much on passive influences such as insulation, green roofing and the nature of materials used in construction. It is possible, for instance, to adopt the Paris idea and ask all major buildings to incorporate solar panel roofing or suitable green cover. The continued success of the Montreal Protocol in its goal to eliminate HCFCs by 2030 will depend on reducing the acquisition costs of cleaner technologies.

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The greater affordability of solar photovoltaic power and its rapid adoption at various scales is a clear pointer. More people will have access to air-conditioning and refrigeration in coming years, and the focus of government policy must be to make them energyefficient and eco-friendly. (Passage Source- The Hindu) ah

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It is welcome that the Unique Identification Authority of India is actively seeking to improve its product and its working, instead of insisting that it was made perfect and that all critics are cynical flatearthers with zero sympathy for the poor, the chief beneficiaries of Aadhaar. The latest improvement is the addition of facial recognition with liveness detection (to prevent masks, sleeping or dead faces being used to fool the face recognition software) to the biometric data that the authority will capture and use for verification. Face recognition will be used in tandem with one more biometric field to identify someone. Face recognition will address the complaint that old age and prolonged manual labour that wear out fingerprints interfere with Aadhaar verification. The latest move comes on the heels of a decision to issue random codes to temporarily stand in for Aadhaar numbers, so that they do not have to reveal their ID numbers to a third party merely for the sake of verification. We had pointed out that this welcome move to mask Aadhaar ID numbers will be of no help to all those whose ID numbers were plastered on government websites and those that erstwhile franchisees were able to collect using their authorisation to query the database.

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Q4 . Read the following passage and write a Precis in 300 words.

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An Aadhaar number by itself does not allow anyone to carry out a bank transaction. But Aadhaar, in tandem with a one-time password, can be — and crooks can take advantage of this with stolen phones. The only way to ensure that the new random code anonymity is available to all Aadhaar numbers is to reissue fresh numbers to all Aadhaar holders, erasing their old numbers that made it to the public domain. Privacy concerns are not limited to Aadhaar. Many companies ask their employees to mark attendance using fingerprints. JetBlue in the Caribbean and China Southern Airlines in Nanyang, Henan province, use facial recognition instead of boarding passes. India needs data protection laws to secure the biometric and other personal data that companies routinely gather, and a regulator to ensure compliance. (Passage Source- The Economic Times) ah

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The massive pollution cloud enveloping northern India every year is a good example of the disconnect between official policy and ground realities. It has been known for long that burning of agricultural waste in the northern States significantly contributes to the poor air quality in large parts of the Indo-Gangetic Basin, with local and cascading impacts felt from Punjab all the way to West Bengal. Harmful fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 mm in diameter (PM2.5) is among the pollutants released. Punjab responded to the issue with a prohibition on the burning of paddy straw, and the launch of initiatives aimed at better utilisation of biomass, including as a fuel to produce power. Yet, there is no mission mode approach to the annual crisis. The efforts do not match the scale of agricultural residues produced, for one, and fail to address farmers’ anxiety to remove the surplus from the fields

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Q5 . Read the following passage and write a Precis in 300 words.

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quickly to make way for the next crop. The national production of crop waste is of the order of 500 million tonnes a year, with Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and West Bengal topping the list. Again, 80 per cent of straw from paddy is burnt in some States, impacting air quality and depriving croplands of nutrients. It is an irony that the national capital and several other cities suffer crippling pollution in the post-monsoon and winter months partly due to biomass burning, when demand for fodder is rising and the surplus material could be used productively. Pilot projects to produce power using biomass demonstrated in Rajasthan, and mechanised composting and biogas production units of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute could be scaled up, and farmers given liberal support to deploy such solutions. Given the twin benefits of pollution abatement and better productivity, conservation agriculture needs to be popularised. This would encourage farmers to use newer low-till seeding technologies that allow much of the crop residues to remain on site, and curb the release of a variety of pollutants. Burning residues add greenhouse gases that cause global warming, besides pollutants such as carbon monoxide, ammonia, nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide that severely affect human health. Sustained work is called for, given that higher agricultural productivity to meet food needs is inevitable, with a cascading increase in biomass volumes. The challenge is to identify measures to utilise it. By one estimate, if India can reach its own air quality standards for fine particulate matter from all sources, annual premature deaths can be cut by almost 10 per cent. A programme to cut pollution from wasteburning would be a good start. (Passage Source- The Hindu) ah

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4

PREVIOUS YEAR ESSAY WRITING QUESTIONS

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1. Write an essay in not more than 250 words on Importance of Knowing the country’s history for a Citizen. Importance of history can be understood with the fact that it helps in knowing about the present. It gives unbelievable perspective for lot many reasons. It helps us to learn about strength, power, relationship, and human behavior. It is not the addition of past that has happened but the purpose is to show why these events happened and how and give an overview of pain, breakthrough, and war associated with them. When history is learned, roles and behavior of different civilizations can be rediscovered. in fact, custom and cultures can be known to us only by searching how they came into existence. One can gather knowledge about their country’s beliefs, attitude and culture only when they have ample knowledge about their villages. History is a proof that how things developed and survived despite all odds and adversities that come about. One should know about the ethics and cultural diversity of their country. It helps in knowing country internationally and the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters to make it, how it is today. We can only plot references without having much of its knowledge. Knowing about the past of a country and how it reacted at that time could mean the difference between victor and all-out war. History is an integrated part of each of us. 183

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2. Write an essay in not more than 250 words on the effect of hike in the salary of people on Indian Economy. ah

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Indian economy is the world’s sixth-largest economy by nominal GDP and the third-largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). There has been a positive trend in the increase of the Indian economy because of its young population, healthy savings, the rate of investments, low dependency ratio and increasing integration in the global economy. The monthly or annual income of its citizens leaves a great impact on the economy as a whole itself. Some of the major effects that can be observed after a hike in the salary of individuals will be rise in consumption and price of commodities, savings, tax revenues for government and economic activities. Apart from this, as per economists, its impact on inflation is expected to be moderate. The hike in salary or income of people will give rise to aggregate demand in the economy because of higher consumption. This will increase inflation in a short-term but will also propel industrial sector growth. The savings of the households having salaried people will also increase this way. These people will also raise their savings in order to utilize the opportunities of tax exemptions. All of this will eventually lead to providing benefits to the government itself as the tax revenue will also increase due to increase in consumption. This hike will be an expenditure burden on the government initially but the long-term growth prospects of the Indian economy will only expand positively because of the benefits so obtained from the increased income of the citizens of the country.

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3. Write an essay on the effects of the popular game Pokémon GO. (Limit- 250 words) ah

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Pokemon Go is an IOS and Android location-based game that was launched in the year 2016. The main features of the game include having to find or locate the virtual creatures called as Pokemon by making use of mobile phone’s GPS ability. The game quickly became the most popular game of the time with over 500 million downloads and the number increased to 750 million by the completion of 1 year of its launch. It also led to a hike in the local business because of increase in the physical activities of the local population who were forced to get off the chairs and venture outside for Pokemon hunt.

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The game not only poses security threats to the children but also hampers the daily necessary activities that they put on hold to play it. So, with the launch of such games, it is also necessary to ensure safety measures to prevent the exploitation of children in different ways through the internet.

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Apart from becoming popular for the above-mentioned reasons, it was also surrounded by controversies. One of the major reasons for this was the increasing number of accidents that were being caused because people were so engrossed in playing the games that they wouldn’t pay attention to what was happening in their surroundings. Even the governments of various countries expressed their concerns for the security issue the game triggered with some countries passing legal procedures in order to regulate the same.

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1. Write an essay in 250 words on the effects of Paid News.

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Paid news is a phenomenon that refers to the systematic engagement of newspapers, magazines or the electronic media in publishing favourable articles in exchange for payment. Politicians, businessmen, or celebrities sponsor this type of news that is much like an advertisement, in order to improve their public image or accomplish political goals. It is a serious malpractice since it deceives the citizens, not letting them know that the news is, in fact, an advertisement. More seriously, it has raised electoral concerns because the media has a direct influence on voters. The Election Commission of India has detected hundreds of cases where politicians paid newspapers or TV channels to carry favourable reports. The payment modes violate tax laws and election spending laws. The increasing incidences of manipulated news reporting aimed at influencing electoral results alarmed the Press Council of India too. The Press Council of India then recommended guidelines which say that news should be clearly demarcated from advertisements. As far as news is concerned, it must always carry a credit line and should be set in a fashion that would distinguish it from advertisements. News is meant to be objective, fair and unbiased. This is the only difference between news and opinions. Political parties and media groups had approached the Commission requesting for stringent steps against paid news. Paid news should be made an electoral offence under RP Act, 1951 and existing mechanisms of expenditure ceiling should be used to curb the menace.

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1. Write an essay in 250 words on what you should do, what you should not in the event of an earthquake.

Stand away from the buildings, trees, streetlights and other electricity wires if you are outside in an open area, till the shaking stops. Always keep a disaster management kit with you. If you are riding a vehicle, stop as soon as you can, do not ride on bridges, roads and ramps that might be damaged. If you are trapped with scattered pieces or remains of rubbish, never lit a match, cover your mouth with handkerchief. Shout only as a last resort. Remember for earthquake emergency line number is 132 500. 187

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If you are indoor during earthquake, take shelter under the table, keep yourself away from windows and other glass materials, do not use elevators, inside doors are lightly constructed and may not offer protection, be aware that electricity is turned off. Do not stand under the heavy things that may fall.

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Recent series of deadly earthquake in japan, Gujarat and other countries and states have brought back the importance of earthquake safety measures in every ones life. Every year about 10-15 percent of earthquake with an approximate magnitude of 7, can be seen all over the world that cost lives of hundreds of people who do not get time to react to the situation. So, what one is supposed to do when the ground beneath your feet starts to dither? Here are several safety measures than can be adopted during such harsh situations I.e. Earthquake.

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1. Write an essay elaborating the positive and negative impacts of increasing use of technology in daily life. (Limit- 150 words)

Social media now-a-days has become a soundbite not only among teenagers but everyone including old generations. It can be defined as computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, facts, interests and other forms of expression by means of virtual communities through user-generated content. 188

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2. Write an essay on the mental effects of social media platforms on the population of our country and the consequences of those effects. (Limit- 150 words)

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We all are living a hi-tech world with a better living standard, facilities, and luxuries than used to be years before. The advancement in technology that now expands to different sectors as per the need and requirements of different individuals has had various positive as well as negative impacts on the human race. With the development of new technologies, humans have got pretty much engaged and restricted to the narrow circle of their personal affairs. Also, people have become lazy, are distracted, overly stressed and have become increasingly isolated. On the other hand, the proliferation of technologies has led to overcoming the obstacles of time and space, gaining an insight into different cultures across the globe, communicating and maintaining relationships with people. There are both pros and cons of advancement in technology and we are the ones who can make efforts in putting them all to a positive use. Getting overly addicted to them can be avoided and this can be the best way to put the advancement in technology to a positive use.

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Social media are used to document memories, learn about and explore things, advertise oneself and build up friendships. Apart from these positive mental effects, it can also negative effects and can put the users under ambivalence, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalization. So, it becomes essential for people to beware of social media and learn to use it in positive ways. Limit the time you spend on surfing through social media, share limited information about yourself over there and save yourself from the undesirable effects of social media. ah

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The most repetitive answer to the question of what could be the most treasured asset for any individual is more than likely to be “HOME”. Building or buying a home is a dream that is cherished by many and when the time comes it must be backed by an insurance policy to not only protect one’s investments against natural and accidental perils such as earthquakes, storm, flood, fire but also against burglary, electrical and other breakdowns. All in all, a comprehensive policy to protect our house and the contents inside is a must in a time where the future is more uncertain. Property insurance covers not only homes but commercial buildings as well. Its more or less similar to home insurance for individual but home insurances cover liability coverage as well in form of providing of alternative accommodation in cases of repair/renovation. One’s property can be broken into at any

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1. Write an essay on the need of home and property insurance in 200 words.

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point of time in cases of theft. Natural calamities can bring down what is an individual’s most valued and expensive investment. ah

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Home & Property insurance thus ensure, even in such cases, the efforts physical and monetary are protected keeping one at ease in times when other things might demand more attention.

One of the major reforms undertaken to bring the education level at par with foreign education systems was allowing creativity in the learning process. Now the Indian Education system makes use of upgradation of technology to inculcate knowledge through practical implementation and also focuses on extracurricular activities. There is a serious requirement for many more such changes to take the education level at par with international levels. Together we all will have to work hard to bring about the change in the education system because education is the high-grade means to climbing the social and economic ladder. 190

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A few years back, it was considered that the education system in foreign countries was far better than that of the one in our country. There were several loopholes that were later on acted upon and much-required amendments were brought in teaching methodologies and the overall system of education.

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1. Write an essay on one reform in Indian education system that can be compared at par with the International Level. (Limit- 150 words)

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2. Write an essay on the advantages and disadvantages of cashless economy. (Limit- 150 words) ah

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Every new change introduced brings along some advantages as well as disadvantages with it and so will the cashless economy. In a cashless economy, the transactions are carried out by the digital means like e-banking, debit and credit cards, digital wallets, etc. The advantages of the cashless economy are reduced tax evasion, lesser crime in black markets, promoting the adoption of new hassle-free means of technologies with the disadvantages being the violation of privacy, decreased financial inclusion, increased risk of the security in online transactions, etc. So, we can conjecture that the cashless economy is still a distant dream for a country like India that lacks in terms of technology and infrastructure that is required to attain a cashless economy. Government is trying to improve on things required to attain it and we should all put our heads together to acquire the same to bring it off in future.

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The advances in technology have led to the invention of so many gadgets that literally control the human minds today. Humans have become so addicted to them that their minds stop to function or manage without a gadget in their hands. Human minds have been altered by the use of these gadgets and they find it hard to perform their everyday physical activities like cooking, washing, writing, calculating, exercising, etc. without these gadgets. Life comes to a standstill without the digital technology.

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3. Write an essay in 150 words on the effects of extensive use of modern gadgets on the intellectual capacities of humans.

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The more the number of gadgets we use, the more we tend to preoccupy our minds with a virtual life that takes us far away from the healthy human interactions. We should try to cut down our digital life as much as we can so as to take a deep breath and look out for unharming ways of performing our daily activities. ah

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To be able to fulfil duties efficiently is necessary for professional growth and personal satisfaction. All that has to be done in a time which is the same for all. Managing time well would redefine productivity as one would be able to do more work in same amount of time. This would ensure timely accomplishment of targets bringing praise from colleagues and superiors that would increase job satisfaction and help in career growth as well. Professional and personal satisfaction are correlated and managing time well would ensure both are achieved.

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Being a professional clearly points out the fact the one needs to be excellent in his profession. In a time when a job profile requires to play multiple roles in a firm, an individual must use time effectively and efficiently. For that having a task plan for the day, prioritization, having an organized workstation and effective delegation via proper communication is must.

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1. Write an essay on Importance of time management in professional life in 150 words.

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2. Write an essay in 150 words on how development of a human’s personality traits are affected by the environmental factors and the person’s genes. ah

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Personality is the blend of behavior, emotion, motivation, and thought patterns that represent an individual. Many psychologists have debated for years over the topic if the human personality is affected by the genes or the environment they are surrounded by. In psychological terms, this is called as a nature versus nurture debate in which, nature labels genes and nurture labels the environment. The environmental factors refer to the beliefs, norms, ideologies, behavior, and customs of the surroundings that one lives in. These factors determine which traits or behavior that one exhibits are acceptable or non-acceptable. On the other hand, the genetic factor suggests the heritability of some personality traits, indicating that some aspects of our personalities are largely controlled by genetics on the basis of twin studies. So, we conjecture from the above-mentioned points that a human’s personality development is influenced by both genetic as well as environmental factors.

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1. Write an Essay on the given topic in 150 words: Increasing popularity and use of Artificial Intelligence in almost every field have reduced the need for human effort thus causing unemployment which is also acting as a catalyst in increasing crime rates.

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Artificial Intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence by ah

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optimal decisions in future. Since inception machines have been

Since it focusses on imitating human capability the biggest effect AI has on the mankind is replacing human efforts by automated systems. When seen at a higher level this has led to many people being rendered jobless as automated machines are being preferred. The unemployment further leads to poverty, hunger and finally a criminal mindset since having necessities the right way becomes elusive. AI is beneficial only if it caters to needs of working individuals otherwise what use is technology? 2. Write an Essay on the given topic in 150 words: Importance of soft skills in successful professional life. Well built, highly erudite soft skills have been proven precious to make a business successful. While it takes time to develop such skills, the drastic times call for drastic measures. Besides having knowledge of the concerned business, one must have personal attributes that certainly affect relationships, communication and help in people engagement. They cannot be “all or none”. Many people have quantum of skills and are exemplary but some of them yet are struggling to acquire more. 194

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voice-based PAs like Siri to self-driving vehicles AI is here.

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seeping into our lives, affecting our life and work. From simple

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intonation and articulation are important while speaking to others. Additionally, positiveness and optimism can be effective side of a business which may give long term growth to a business. 3. Write an Essay on the given topic in 150 words: Bitcoin- Boon or Bane Bitcoin is the first cryptocurrency(2009), a decentralized and unregulated one being used for online transactions. Due to is unregulated nature it is still subject of speculation and being decentralized, exists only in digital format, thus making it vulnerable to cyber criminals. Bitcoin’s anonymous nature makes one wonder that whether the transactions being done are in favour of the general good or being used in money laundering or other criminal activities. Its non-trackable nature further deepens the issue. Though still illegal in regulated markets cryptocurrency can in future revolutionize huge financial transactions. 195

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deeds, it will surely increase their morale. Undoubtedly,

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us in later times, never forget to appreciate others for their good

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It is still an emerging technology and a lot is yet to be known but backed by proper technological support this could be a boon since it is much convenient when compared to other forms of digital payments. Bringing the activities under central bank regulation would enable tax-avoidance issue in this case and protect the very people who use it. ah

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Undoubtedly, there should be age limit criteria to maintain a uniformity among students, their mental level, ability to learn things should be equal. Students won’t feel inferiority complexity with anyone. Time factor will be another major constraint in this. Those who are admitted late may not be getting several advantages of government scheme at the right time as they will be eligible as per their age but not the qualifications. It is the duty of the government to ensure that schools follow the age criteria rule for the sake of children and their bright future. 196

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Nowadays, parents are much concerned about when their child should be admitted to the school. Moreover, department of public instruction(DPI) has not laid down any clear-cut rules on the age criteria however schools and parents consider it to be 2.5 years for pre-nursery. In addition to the mess, different schools follow varying criteria that is followed by top city-based school while offering admission for pre-nursery and nursery as well.

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PREVIOUS YEAR LETTER WRITING QUESTIONS

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1. Write a letter in 200 words as the principal of a school to the parents regarding their responsibility towards their word. Principal, Delhi Public School February 22, 2016 13-B Hari Nagar, New Delhi Dear Parents, I am writing this letter to express my concern over responsibilities parents should fulfil towards their ward’s phycological and social development. In school, the goal of teachers as an educator is to guide your child toward academic success and to help build critical thinking skills that will help him blossom into adulthood. But at home children learn to develop critical social and personal skills like learning to be honest, to be on time, diligent, show friends their sympathy, as well as show utmost respect for their elders and all teachers. 197

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As parents you should monitor the increasing use of mobile phones and social media websites as these have certain cons associated with them which may hamper the child’s psychological and social development. You should encourage your child to engage more in outdoor games, activities and competitions to boost your ward’s confidence and social skills. I am sure parents and teachers together with their combined efforts will shape the future of young minds of our country. ah

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2. Write a letter in not more than 200 words to your parents, telling them about the challenges you are facing and how you are trying to overcome them. 1-G Block, Ashiyana, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 4th April 2016 Dear Mom, How are you? I hope you find this letter in good health. I am done with shifting to a new flat and have completed the joining formalities at the office. I feel little anxious at times, seeing the increasing competition among fellow mates to surpass one another. It is challenging to keep up with the pace of the lifestyle of this city. 198

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Sumitra Kaushal

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Warm Regards,

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I intend not to panic you but to let you know that I am trying to overcome all the challenges that I face, and I have been doing good so far. I have taken a counselling session and joined meditation and yoga classes to help myself stay focused and have a healthy lifestyle. I am planning to visit home next month. ah

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3. Write a letter to the editor of a magazine expressing your concern over growing intolerance among youth. (Limit- 200 words) 18-C, Shakarpur, New Delhi 15th May 2016 The Editor, Time Magazine, New Delhi Sub: Growing intolerance among the youth of the nation. Sir, Today, I am writing to you this important letter after reading many public statuses on social media, which worry me. I believe that we live in a country where intolerance is growing. We are in the Digital Information age, which is also the information revolution age but this is also acting as a catalyst in spreading distress among youth. 199

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Yours lovingly, Vaibhav

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Convey my love and regards to father.

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Attacks on freedom of expression are increasing. I have noticed that many issues are being connected to nationalism. If a person has a difference of opinion than the masses on social media, if someone criticize government policies or is voicing concerns against budget cuts in education and health, then he or she is framed as an anti-development, anti-nationalist, or anti-Hindu. ah

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Yours faithfully, Suraj Bajaj

1. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper expression your concern on increasing noise pollution in your residential society. (Limit- 150 words) 18-C, Shakuntala Colony, Mumbai 15th August 2016 200

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Thanking you,

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People should stop this agitation of selfish motive and make purposeful contribution in nation’s morale building. Through the column of your esteemed magazine I call upon those intellectual beings, authors, scientist, social reformers, and citizens of this nation who endorse my view to join in expressing their peaceful protest against growing intolerance to help mellow down this menace.

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The Editor,

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The Hindu,

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I would like to draw the kind attention of the concerned authorities towards increasing problem of noise pollution in residential societies. The people are often irritated by the jarring loudspeakers all the time from the different marriage halls and the theatres. The marriage halls are busy not only during the marriage seasons, but also on some other occasions. The residents of Shakuntala Colony are very much afraid to note that such noise may affect the hearing capacity of the common mass. Our representation to the concerned authorities in vain. I would be grateful if you could hint to pass strict laws to stop using loudspeakers. Framing rules is not enough. It is more important how the rules imposed and how much the rules guardians are unbiased, honest and truthful to all category of people. Thanking you, Yours faithfully, Pooja Sharma 201

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Sir,

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Sub: Increasing levels of noise pollution in residential society.

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Mumbai

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2. Write a letter to the DM expressing your concern over increasing rate of cybercrime in not more than 150 words. ah

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House no. 48, Model Colony, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh

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December 7, 2016 The District Magistrate, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh Subject: Concern over increasing rate of cybercrime. Sir, Incidents of online fraud and cybercrime are indicative of several weak links in the so-called cashless or less cash economy that the government is so fond of and propagating with great vigour. Cyberattacks and the siphoning of money from bank accounts make the vulnerabilities of bank cyber security discernible, leaving account holders worried. Most States have not taken cybersecurity as a priority. Most districts in the country don’t even have a cyber police cell which leaves citizens helpless and nowhere to go in case of any cyber misappropriation. The police force needs to be educated to handle cybercrimes and online fraud with specialised tactics. There are many advantages of online facilities but every person needs to be vigilant and aware to avoid falling into the trap of any fraudulent activity. Your faithfully, Shruti Sharma 202

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1. Considering yourself Narendra/Seema, write a letter to your brother Suresh explaining the present advantage of computerbased exams and what will be the future shortfall of it. (Limit- 150 words) 45-G Anand Colony, Preet Vihar, New Delhi

I hope you are preparing well for SSC CGL Exam. SSC has certainly surprised many candidates as this year the CGL examination is going to be conducted in an online mode. Online examinations consist of mainly MCQs which provide an easy-touse environment for preparing questions, conducting exams and managing results. Also, these exams are very cost effective as no expenses are incurred for printing or distribution of question papers. Exam can be conducted in several geographically scattered locations at the same time. All these are major advantages of this new mode of conducting computer-based exams. I would strongly recommend you should start practicing in online mode, with help of mock tests and now with online mode you will also have the liberty to change your answer at a click while in offline it is difficult once you circle OMR with pen. The only disadvantages are connectivity issue with the server and unless an instructor is physically watching someone take the test, the chances of cheating during an online test are tough to eliminate. Yours lovingly, Seema 203

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My dear brother Suresh,

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27 March, 2017

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1. Write a letter to the branch manager of the bank in which you hold a savings account as you’ve deposited some amounted but it is still not credited into your account. (Limit- 150 words)

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30th May 2016 The Manager, SBI, Green Park, New Delhi Sub: Amount of Rs. 15000 not credit in Savings Account No. 1003424 Dear Sir, This is to bring to your notice that, I’ve deposited an amount of Rs. 15000 to my savings account No. 1003424 via NEFT from my Andhra Bank saving account on 16th May 2017. The amount has not been credited so far and I’ve already contacted Andhra Bank regarding this matter and their representative has confirmed a successful debit transaction from my account number 4100981 to the PNB savings account that I hold with your branch at Green Park, New Delhi. I request you to consider the matter that why the amount of Rs. 15000 is not reflected in my bank account statement and resolve the issue as early as possible. Yours faithfully, Saurabh Mishra 204

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41, Hauz Khas, New Delhi

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2. Write a letter to editor of a newspaper in not more than 150 words expressing your concern over impact of irrelevant news through social media ah

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210-D, Janakpuri, New Delhi

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June 15, 2017 The Editor, Time Magazine, New Delhi Sub: Impact of spreading irrelevant news through social media Sir, I am writing this letter to bring the impact of irrelevant news being spread through the social media to your attention. Lately, social media has become the cause of unrest and violence among the masses. Recently so much violence was caused in north India on account of a so-called spiritual leader. His followers spread false information through social media that led to huge loss of life and property. This was just one such even and many irrelevant news are being circulated that is also doing the nation more harm than good. It pains my heart to see the media playing in the hands of the rich and powerful people and organisations. Media has a very important role to play. There is a need to regulate spreading such news and strict action should be taken to avoid any nuisance. Yours faithfully, Himanshi Mukherjee 205

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3. Write a letter to your sibling in not more than 150 words, ah

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advising him/her on how to deal with stress and anxiety.

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D-59, Gomti Nagar,

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Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh June 4, 2017 Dear Sister,

How are you? I know you have been preparing for almost a year now for Banking recruitment and very soon you are going to appear for SBI PO recruitment exam. I am concerned at times you might be feeling confused and stressed. Every day you are struggling to work hard and face the exhausting competition for government jobs, but you should never let anxiety take over and get the best of your spirit. Along with studies, it is important that you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Go for a walk early morning, take proper diet and sleep well. A healthy mind and body will help you deal with any stress that you may feel while preparing for exam. You can also try to mediate as it will help you to increase your concentration and confidence. Convey my love and regards to mother and father. Yours lovingly, Nitin Rai 206

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1. Write a letter to claim your medical insurance in not more than 150 words.

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71-G, Subhash Nagar, New Delhi 27th July 2017 Mukul Advani, Health Insurance Inc. Ltd, Subash Nagar, New Delhi

Sub: Regarding Medical Insurance Claim of Policy. Sir, This letter is to formally request reimbursement for medical expenses for policy D231A0. I was Mumbai on 23rd July 2017 where I fell and broke my knee. I was treated at Fortis Hospital, and was discharged on 25th July 2017. The medical expenses that I bore due to this unfortunate event amounts to Rs. 15000 for xrays, a bone specialist and two nights in the hospital. According to the terms of my policy, I contacted my primary healthcare physician within 24 hours of the accident. I have enclosed all the documents related to my treatment. I am requesting you to reimburse me Rs. 15000 in keeping with my health care coverage. I can be reached at 9010900001 or at [email protected] if you have any questions. Thank you for your quick attention to this. Sincerely, Adarsh Gupta 207

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1. Write a Letter to your friend encouraging and advising him to plan his/her own start up. (Limit- 150 words)

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D-59, Ashish Marg, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh September 14, 2017 Dear Priya,

I am glad to know that you will be shifting to Jhansi next month. I paid a visit to your house last Sunday and your mother discussed with me your ideas and plans of a start up. I strongly feel that you have the potential to plan a start-up and eventually grow into a successful businesswoman. The government has also launched various schemes to support and help people to launch their start ups. Start Ups India is one such scheme launched by the Modi government in 2016 under which at least one dalit or tribal entrepreneur and one woman entrepreneur will be supported by each of the 1.25 lakh bank branches in India. I feel you have the potential to grow, and do something big. Do inform me if you feel I can help you in this initiative in any way. I hope we will meet soon. Yours lovingly, Divya 208

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2. Write a letter in 150 words, to your office colleague inviting him/her to your house party. ah

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M-52, Sector 120, Noida, Uttar Pradesh

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21th October 2017 Dear Manoj,

I hope this letter of mine will find you find you in the best of your health and spirits. I feel relished to tell you that I will be throwing a Diwali gettogether party on 26st of October. It will give me great pleasure if you and your family come to attend the celebration at my residence, on 26st of October at 7:00 PM. I hope you will grace the gettogether with your presence. Please convey my best regards to your wife and kids. Yours lovingly, Divya 4. Write a letter to the branch manager requesting him to block your credit card as you’ve lost it and request him to issue you a new card. (Limit- 150 words) M-09, Civil Lines, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh November 21, 2017 The Manager, PNB, Civil Lines, Kanpur - 110064 Sub: Request to issue a new credit card. 209

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Dear Sir, Unfortunately, I have lost my credit card bearing number 131100935707 on 20th November 2017. My credit card was also linked to the savings account number- 4100136788 that I am having with your branch at Civil Lines, Kanpur. I request you to block my credit card with immediate effect to refrain any transactions from it. I would be obliged if you can please issue me a new Visa Credit Card at the earliest. I am enclosing herewith a copy of my ID proof and required documents. As I’ve lost my credit card I am facing a hard time in doing transactions. ah

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Yours faithfully, Monika Mehta

1. Write a letter to your friend elaborating your experience of a recent foreign tour. (Limit- 150 words) House No. 65, Vikaspuri Colony, Adil Nagar, Chandigarh March 05, 2017 Dear Manoj, 210

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Thanking you.

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Kindly do the needful.

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I hope this letter finds you in the best of your health. I am doing fine as well. I hope that your studies are going well. Do let me know all things I have missed out. In this letter I am going to share with you an exhilarating experience that I had in a recent foreign tour of New Zealand. I landed at Wellington, the capital city and immediately took off for sightseeing. As planned I visited the most iconic building Beehive while travelling by the Wellington Cable car. I saw many other places and museums. The food was amazing and the people very friendly. I wish, someday, we will take another tour to New Zealand together so that you can yourself see the beauty and richness of the country. Please convey my sincere regards to your parents and love to siblings. ah

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Write a letter to the police inspector registering a complaint against the luggage you lost while traveling in a train that had important documents pertaining to your property in it. C-259 Kailash, Delhi- 110019 The Police Inspector, Delhi Police Station January 27, 2018 211

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Yours affectionately, Sanket

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Subject: Loss of luggage and important property related documents. ah

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Dear Sir, This is to bring to your kind attention that I lost a luggage bag while traveling from Ghaziabad Station to New Delhi Railway Station that had important documents pertaining to my property in it. I would also like to elaborate that the bag I lost was red in color and the documents were kept in a file that was black in color. I shall be obliged if you kindly take action to recover the lost items and I also promise to reward the person who helps me find the lost items with Rs. 500.

367 Block-D, Mangolpuri, Delhi-110019 6th March 2018 The Editor, The Hindu, C. Sec., Delhi Subject: Effects of loud music on children and youth. 212

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2. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper raising your concerns towards the ill effects of loud music on the health of children and youth.

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Yours faithfully, Sudha

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Sir, May I have the honor to draw the attention of the people through the esteemed column of your newspaper about the bad effects of loud music on the physical as well as the mental health of children and youth. Loud music not only causes hearing loss but also damages nerves in one’s brain. It also lowers children’s concentration level and thereby hinders their overall growth. So, it’s not that one should completely stop listening to music but she should be wary of listening to it a high volume. I hope that you’ll voice my concerns through your esteemed newspaper so that people implement the change in their attitude towards the loud music to avoid the risk of serious ill effects. ah

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12-G, Janakpuri, Delhi March 10, 2018 The Editor, The Hindu, C. Sec., Delhi Subject: Increasing rate of road accidents due to rash driving. 213

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3. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper expressing your concern on increasing rate of road accidents due to rash driving.

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Yours faithfully, Shreya Dutt

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Through the columns of your esteemed paper, I want to invite the attention of the authorities and the public to the problem of rash driving. These days, road accidents have been on the increase. The main cause is rash and reckless driving.

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Yours faithfully, Shikha Gangwar 4. Write a letter to the branch manager requesting him to transfer your savings account from Nagpur to Guwahati. CA-19, Vikas Nagar, Nagpur, Maharashtra February 14, 2018 The Manager, 214

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I would like to emphasize that the police must strictly enforce the regulations regarding limit and should impound the driving license of such errant drivers, and then put them behind bars, for maintaining traffic decorum.

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Many women and children who try to cross the roads of this overpopulated city become victims to such reckless driving. This has caused many fatal accidents. Undoubtedly, regulations regarding speed limit do exist in the city, but the drivers pay no heed. The police also take little or no notice of these offenders, therefore, accidents are almost a daily occurrence.

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SBI, Chowk,

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Guwahati, Assam

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Dear Sir, I am having a savings account bearing number - 77101102765 with your branch at Vikas Nagar, Nagpur. I have recently been relocated to Guwahati due to transfer of my husband. I would be obliged if you can please transfer my account with your bank to your bank’s branch at Chowk, Guwahati, Assam. This would ease of the maintaining of the account at my end. Appropriate charges may kindly be debited to my account in this regard for transfer of my account. I am enclosing herewith a copy of the Address Proof of my current residence for your information and records. Kindly do the needful. Thanking you. Yours faithfully, Madhu Gupta

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When you are preparing to appear for a descriptive paper, you need to have the details on every topic that can be expected to be asked in the examination. This is not an objective paper where you just have to mark the correct option from the given choices so, you must prepare notes on every such topic so as to have them all grasped for the examination. While preparing notes, you can choose to write the necessary or key points on the theme instead of writing long and detailed paragraphs on it. This makes it easier for you to revise them a few days before you appear in the real examination. Do not forget to write important facts and figures as mentioning them in your piece of writing could possibly leave a good impression on the reader’s mind.

Newspaper Reading newspaper articles on a daily basis not only gets you aware of what’s going on around the globe but also gets you acquainted with different ways or styles in which a piece of writing could be framed or presented. This helps you develop the essential writing skills, as in, how to give your piece of writing the right direction that it needs. Every separate piece of writing on every different topic needs to be framed in a distinctive way. For 216

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Notes

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HOW TO WRITE EFFECTIVELY ?

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example, the topics can be based on cause and effect, positive and negative aspects, etc. so, when you keep reading newspaper articles, you know exactly what should be the type, tone and writing style of your own piece of writing that is to be put forward in the descriptive paper. ah

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Vocabulary While writing the descriptive paper of a competitive exam, you should always make sure that the reader is able to comprehend it and thus, what you want to say is effectively conveyed. To accomplish this, you should always try to use simple and suitable vocabulary instead of using fancy, sophisticated and not so familiar words in your essay or letter. Also, the words or phrases you use, should always be put in a way that the sentence thus made is meaningful, and grammatically as well as semantically appropriate. Word Limit Word limit also plays a great role in the evaluation process of a descriptive paper. Always bear it in your mind that you do not have to exceed the word limit while writing the essay or letter in 217

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The paragraphs should always be coherent in nature. Try to write every next statement that is connected to the previous one in some or the other way. Do keep in mind that every different aspect or viewpoint is to be given a new paragraph. If your piece of writing is ambiguous in nature, the reader will only get confused and will lose interest in reading it further.

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Coherence

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any competitive examination. All your efforts go in vain once you have exceeded the word limit. So, when you are writing something, try to wind it up in not more than the word limit mentioned in the question paper. ah

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Grammar and Spelling The correct usage of grammar always leaves a positive impression on the reader, so, make sure that every sentence in your essay or letter is grammatically correct. For effective use of grammar, you need to have the basics of tenses, active/ passive voice, parts of speech and subject-verb-agreement all grasped. You should also avoid making silly spelling mistakes because that may cost you the much-required marks in the descriptive examination. Supporting Examples/Facts and Figures While writing a letter or an essay, you should always try to support your arguments by giving facts and figures related to it. Use of figures and examples based on the current scenario associated to the topic actually do wonders. This gives the reader an idea that the candidate keeps herself abreast of the latest happenings. Qoutes Including quotes in your essay not only leaves a good impression on the reader but is also an excellent idea to support your arguments and make them come alive. The quote that you add should be short and to the point. Also, you should avoid using too many quotes in a single essay and ignoring to mention the other crucial points about the topic. 218

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THINGS TO AVOID

bo or

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Exaggeration

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dp

Do not exaggerate on anything that you write in your essay or

bandwidth of your thoughts revolves around a single aspect of a particular topic. Unnecessary Matter As stated in the points mentioned above, one must always try to write the necessary and relevant matter only because writing too much of irrelevant matter not only leaves a bad impression on the reader but also consumes the words you could have used to mention much more important points. So, instead of repenting it in the end, deleting it and writing it all over again, try to avoid writing it in the beginning itself. Focus on Only one Point Try to make the maximum number of points or arguments that you can put forward on the topic given to you. Mentioning only one point about it can make the reader think that you lack knowledge and also makes your essay or letter monotonous to read. So, make different arguments based on the old, latest or current synopsis so as to bag the maximum marks in the descriptive paper.

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the reader an impression that you are not very thoughtful and the

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letter. Exaggerations do not support your arguments but they give

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PHRASAL VERB

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hrasal Verb is a combination of words (a verb + a preposition or verb +adverb) that, when used together, usually take on a different meaning to that of the original verb. Typically, their meaning is not obvious from the meanings of the individual words themselves. Writing skills are all about using the correct words and phrases in the best possible way and presenting your piece of writing in the most beautiful manner possible. So, along with an efficient knowledge of vocabulary, one also needs to have an effective understanding of phrasal verbs as they spice up your sentences and make them look more organized and sophisticated.

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Here are some phrasal verbs that you can use while writing the bo om

Account for

Give a satisfactory record of (something, typically money, that one is responsible for)

Act on

To act in accordance with; I’m acting on the advice of my lawyers. follow

Act out

To demonstrate or illustrate by pantomime and gestures or by words

He was acting out his feelings of inferiority by being overly aggressive.

A. Behave badly or strangely

If you act up in class, you will be sent to the principal’s office.

B. To operate badly

My computer began acting up and I lost a whole day’s work.

Have and exert influence or effect

He did not act upon my order.

To take action because of something like information received

The client may now act upon this returned value.

Act up

Act upon

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PHRASAL VERBS

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descriptive paper of a competitive exam:

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I had to account for every penny I spent.

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She asked after his father. ur

ah

sm

bo

Ask after

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Enquire about someone’s health, how life is going

ss re

dp

or

A. To ask a lot of different I asked around, but nobody had seen him people in order to get for days. information or help

We ASKED them AROUND for dinner.

A. To provoke a negative reaction

You’re ASKING FOR trouble.

B. Request to have or be given

I ASKED FOR the menu.

Ask in

To invite someone to come into a building or room, especially your home

She asked me in for a cup of coffee

Ask out

To invite someone for a date

He wanted to ASK her OUT but was too shy.

Ask over

To invite someone who lives close by to come to one’s home

Ask for

Back something up Back somebody up 222

Reverse

You’ll have to back up your car so that I can get out.

A. Support

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B. Invite someone

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Ask around

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Back away

Retreat or go backwards

The crowd BACKED AWAY when the man pulled a knife.

Back down

Retract or withdraw your position or proposal in an argument

She refused to BACK DOWN and was fired.

Back into

Enter a parking area in reverse gear

He prefers to BACK his car INTO the garage.

Retreat

The police told the protesters to BACK OFF.

Fail to keep an arrangement or promise

He BACKED OUT two days before the holiday so we gave the ticket to his sister.

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B. To make a copy of

You should back up all your computer files in a secure location. ah

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The truck broke down A. Stop working properly in the desert. Break down

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B. Start crying

He BROKE DOWN in tears.

C. Remove a barrier or obstacle

Remove a barrier or obstacle.

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Back out

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Back off

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Break for

To go or run towards a place, especially when you are trying to escape

Break in

The burglars BROKE Go into a building to steal IN and stole the TV something and video.

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She had to hold him back as he tried to BREAK FOR the door. ah

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Break out 224

She’s trying to BREAK INTO acting.

C. Start to spend funds, usually out of necessity

I had to BREAK INTO my savings to pay off the bills.

A. Break a piece from something

She BROKE OFF a square of chocolate and gave it to

She BROKE OFF their engagement when she B. End a relationship found out that he’d been unfaithful. The SDP BROKE Leave an organization, AWAY from the Labor usually to form a new one Party. Start (war, conflict) Adda247 Publications

They’re worried that war will BREAK OUT. For any detail mail us at [email protected]

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Break away

B. Be accepted into a profession or field

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Break off

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Break into

A. Start doing something

He BROKE INTO a run when he saw the police.

her

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The measles caused me Break out in to BREAK OUT IN a rash. Three dangerous Category A prisoners Break out of Escape BROKE OUT OF Wands Worth Prison last night. The crowd BROKE THROUGH the police Break through Pass a barrier or obstacle barriers and attacked the hunters. The plate BROKE UP A. Break into many pieces when he dropped it on the floor. Break up B. Close an educational Schools BREAK UP at institution for the the end of June for the holidays summer holidays. She was CALLED Name someone after Call after Rose AFTER her late somebody else grandmother. This recipe calls for A. Require (as in a recipe) milk, notwater. The Opposition party Call for CALLED FOR the B. Demand minister’s resignation after the scandal broke. ah

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Sweat heavily, develop skin sores or irritation

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The courier CALLED FOR your parcel, but I C. Go to collect something told him it wasn’t ready yet. ah

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Cancel

They called the picnic off because of the rain.

A. Ask for help

The President CALLED ON the wealthy countries for financial aid after the floods destroyed much of the country’s agriculture.

B. Visit

As we were in the area, we CALLED ON my sister-in-law.

C. Challenge

He CALLED the speaker ON severalmis-statements of fact.

D. Ask someone to do something, especially to speak in public. (Formal)

I now CALL ON the other party to give their account of what happened.

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Call on

I’ll CALL FOR a cab right away.

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Call off

D. Telephone for something

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B. Summon for military services

He was called up when the war began.

A. Happen, occur

The meeting CAME ABOUT becauseboth sides were sick of fighting.

B. Shift direction (nautical)

The yacht CAME ABOUT to a heading of 240 degrees.

A. Find by accident

I CAME ACROSS my old school reports when I was clearing out my desk.

B. The way other people see you

He CAME ACROSS as shy because he spoke so quietly.

A. Accompany

May I COME ALONG on your trip Tomorrow?

B. Move faster or keep up

COME ALONG, we’ll never get there if you don’t keep up with us.

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A. To telephone someone

My dad called me up to tell me the good news. .w

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or

Come along

ob

Come across

bo

Come about

ah

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Call up

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Recover consciousness

It took several hours after the operation before he CAME AROUND.

A. Visit

‘ll COME BY after work and see if you need any help.

B. Acquire

How did you COME BY that Rolex?

A. Rain

Just look at the rain COMING DOWN! I’m not going out in that.

B. Travel

When you’re next in London, COME DOWN and see us.

Come down on

A. Criticize heavily

The management really CAME DOWN ON him for losing the contract.

Come down with

Fall ill

She CAME DOWN WITH a virus.

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Break into pieces

It CAME APART when I tried to lift it off the floor and I had to glue it back together. ah

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Come apart

Come down

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Come by

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Come around

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Money doesn’t COME INTO it; I simply will not do it under any circumstances. ah

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Be important or relevant

bo

Come into

Feel strange

my sugar level was too low. I’ll be late home tonight because

Come up

something’s COME

Appear

UP at work has to be ready for tomorrow morning. I CAME UPON the

Come upon

Find by chance

book in a little secondhand bookshop in Dorset. Some Americans want

Do away with

Abolish

to do away with the death penalty.

Do without

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To manage without having something Adda247 Publications

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Come over

faint and weakbecause

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I CAME OVER all

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Kill

Do out of

Cheat somebody out of something that is rightfully theirs

They lied on the reference and DID me OUT OF any chance of getting the job.

Close or fasten clothes, etc.

You must DO UP your safety belt in the back of cars and taxis now.

Do up

Repair and renovate

It took them six months to DO UP the house before they could actually move in.

Do with

Wish for or ask for (usually after can or could)

I could DO WITH a cold beer about now.

Enter for

Join or enter a competition

They ENTERED FOR the national championship but weren’t good enough.

Enter into

Become involved in or accept

They ENTERED INTO an agreement with their rivals.

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Do in

After he reported the gang, he feared they would DO him IN. ah

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Do up

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He told her to stop Falling ABOUT and bo

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Behave indecisively

ah

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Fall about

when we heard what she’d done.

Fall apart

A. Break into pieces B. Become emotionally disturbed and unable to behave normally

The box FELL APART He FELL APART when they sacked him. Fall behind Make less progress. I was ill for a

Fall behind

Make less progress

week and FELL BEHIND with my work.

A. Fall on the ground Fall down

I slipped on the ice and FELL DOWN. The argument FALLS

B. Have a weak point

DOWN when you look at how much it’ll cost.

Fall for

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He FELL FOR her the moment their eyes met. For any detail mail us at [email protected]

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Laugh a lot

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Fall about

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make her mind up.

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He FELL FOR my ah

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yet another extension

Fall into

Start doing something unplanned

I just FELL INTO my job when an Opportunity came up. The membership FELL

Fall off

OFF dramatically

Decrease

when the chairperson resigned. They FELL OUT over

Fall out

Argue and be on bad

the decision and

terms with someone

hardly speak to each other anymore. The plans FELL

Fall through

Be unsuccessful

THROUGH when planning permission was refused. At first, he was

Fall under

Become controlled

independent, but then he FELL UNDER their influence.

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my thesis.

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for the submission of

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of deception

bo

B. Believe a lie or a piece

story and allowed me

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They HANG ABOUT ur

ah

the station most of the bo

Stay in a place

AROUND the station most of the day. Could you HANG ON

A. Wait

for a moment till she’s free.

Hang on

The driver told the B. Hold tightly

passengers to HANG ON as the bus pulled off.

Wait or refuse to do Hang out for

something until you get what you want

She’s HANGING OUT FOR a big raise. I have a lot of financial

Hang over

Worry or trouble

problem HANGING OVER my head.

To deal successfully with Iron out

a disagreement or

We haven’t been able

problem, especially by

to iron out our

removing the last

differences.

remaining difficulties 233

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Hang around

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They HANG

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day.

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Hang about

Spend time somewhere

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Make a quick note

Jump at (something)

To eagerly take (a chance, offer, etc.)

He jumped at the offer of a better job.

Jump in

To say something about a subject that another person is already talking about

to join a conversationJump in if you have any questions.

Jump out at (someone)

A. To suddenly come at (someone) from a hiding place

The hidden assailant jumped out at them.

B. To immediately get the attention of (someone)

The sculpture jumps out at you when you enter the house.

Jump to

Make a quick, poorly thought Out decision

You shouldn’t jump to conclusions.

Jump on

Attack or take hold of (someone) suddenly

two men jumped on him from behind.

Keep after (someone)

To tell (someone) again and again to do something

My kids kept after me to quit smoking, so I finally did.

Keep (someone) after

To require (a student) to The teacher kept him stay at school after classes after (school) for have ended misbehaving in class.

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Jot down

I JOTTED DOWN her number on a scrapof paper and I can’t find it now. ah

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The project was ah

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difficult, but we kept

trying to do something

at it and eventually it

bo

(someone) at it

To force or cause

The coach kept us

(someone) to continue

(hard) at it until late

doing something

afternoon. I KEEP a dictionary

Keep around

Keep something near you

AROUND when I’m doing my homework. The police told the

Keep back

Maintain a safe distance

crowd to KEEP BACK from the fire.

Keep down

To stay close to the

The soldiers were

ground or floor

ordered to keep down.

Keep

To prevent (someone)

(someone)

from succeeding,

down

winning, etc

Keep it down

Used to ask someone to be quiet

You can’t keep a good man down. Please keep it down in there. I’m trying to study. I couldn’t KEEP

Keep from

Control yourself, refrain

FROM arguing with her.

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Keep

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Was done.

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Keep at it

To continue doing or

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The leader began to run faster, and the other runners found it hard to keep up.

B. To continue happening

The rain kept up all night

To continue to talk to or write to (someone)

She still keeps up with [=keeps in touch with] her old friends from college.

A. To treat a serious problem lightly by laughing at it

Although his feelings were hurt, he just laughed the incident off as if nothing had happened.

B. To dismiss something or someone as ridiculous or laughable

She laughed off the critic’s conclusion that the show was a flop.

Take care

They hired a babysitter to look after the children.

To think about what will happen in the future

The past year has been successful and, looking ahead, we expect to do even better in the coming months.

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A. To go or make progress at the same rate as others

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look ahead

ob

Look after

bo

Laugh something off

ah

Keep up with (someone)

sm

Keep up

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To go through a place in order to see what is there

to explore a place-to go through a place in order to see what is there: to explore a place.

A. To think about or consider (something or someone)

Just look at how successful she’s been.

B. To examine or study (someone or something)

I had the veterinarian look at my cat.

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bo

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or

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To think of or treat Look down on (someone or something) (someone or as unimportant or not something) worthy of respect

The other children looked down on me because my parents were poor.

Look forward To expect (something) to (something) with pleasure

They’re looking forward to their vacation.

Look in on (someone)

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I plan to look in on Look in on (someone)- to [=drop in on, call on] make a brief social visit to some old friends when (someone) I’m in town. Adda247 Publications

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Looking back to/at To think about something last season, I can see in the past why they didn’t win the pennant.

.c

Look back

ah

Look at

sm

Look around/ round or look around/round (a place)

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Is there a problem? I could look into it.

Rest, recline

I need to lie down before we go out tonight.

Lie with

Be decided by

Whether or not you can go to the party lies with your father.

Lie down on

Rest, recline (on a couch, bed)

I’m going to lie down on the sofa for a while.

Stand alone

To be in a position or She stood alone in her situation in which you are opposition to the not helped or supported proposal. by others

ur

To try to get information about (something)

ah

sm

bo

Look into

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or

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To take a few steps backwards

Stand behind

To support (someone or something)

I’ll stand behind your decision 100 percent.

Stand by

To stand or be present without taking any action while something is happening

A group of students stood by and watched the boys fight.

Stand by (something)

To support or defend (something)

I stand by my actions and have no regrets.

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Stand aside

The paramedics told the crowd to stand back.

.c

Lie down

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To remain loyal to (someone)

They promised to stand by each other until the end.

A. To leave the witness stand in a court of law

The judge thanked the witness and allowed her to stand down.

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Stand in

To take the place of He can’t be here today, (someone who is away for so he asked me to a time) stand in.

Stand out

To be easily seen or noticed

The trees’ red leaves stood out against the gray sky.

Get across

To be clearly expressed to and understood by someone

I hope my point has finally gotten across to you.

Get (something) across or get across (something)

To express (something) clearly so that it is understood

I don’t know if I was able to get my point across to you.

Get after (someone)

To tell (someone) repeatedly to do something

His parents are always getting after him about doing his homework.

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She stood down in B. To leave a job or official favour of a more position popular candidate.

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Stand down

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Stand by (someone)

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a book about how to get ahead in the business world.

A. To be or remain friendly

We get along well enough, but we’re not really close friends.

B. To leave a place

I really must be getting along.

C. To become old

Her parents are getting along in years.

To reach (something or someone)

The valve is hard to get at unless you have tool a special

Get at (something)

To find out (information that is hidden or hard to know)

How can we ever get at the truth?

Get at (someone)

To criticize (someone) repeatedly

He’s always being got at by his teachers.

ur

To become more successful

ah

sm

bo

someone)

A. To go away from a place

I’ll be busy at work all day and I can’t get away until tonight.

Get away

to escape-The robbers B. To avoid being caught

got away (from the police) in a fast car.

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Get at (something or

.c

Get along

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or

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Get ahead

ur ah

sm

To return to a place after

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going away

bo

Get back

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ob

by in math. The burglar got in

A. To enter a place

through an unlocked window.

Get in

B. To arrive at a place

The train got in late. Her husband was out

C. To arrive home

late last night. He didn’t get in until almost midnight.

Get into (something)

I’ll tell you what To talk about (something) happened, but I don’t want to get into. Please hold on and a A. To wait

representative will answer your call.

Hold on

She was so scared on B. To grip tightly

the rollercoaster ride that she held on for dear life.

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but he’s barely getting

.c

failure

in his history lasses,

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well enough to avoid

dp

Get by

or

To do enough or to do

He’s doing very well

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Hold (something) against (someone)

He lied to her once, and she still holds it against him.

A. To stop yourself from doing something

She wanted to introduce herself to him but she held back out of shyness.

B. To make a less than complete effort

She could have beaten him in the race, but she held back and let him win.

Hold firm

To refuse to change what you have been doing or believing

They are holding firm on their refusal to proceed.

Hold forth

He held forth To speak about something about/on the need for for a long time reform in his country.

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A. To continue to exist or be available

I don’t know how much longer our supply of food will hold out.

.c

To wait to do something

You need to decide now. You can’t hold off any longer.

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ob

Hold out

bo

Hold off

ah

Hold back

sm

To use (something) as a reason to have a bad opinion of (someone)

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to refuse to surrender

om

The sales team was holding up well under the stress. Since he had a sound

Rule out

To eliminate

alibi, the police ruled him out as a suspect.

Rely on

To count on, depend on,

You can rely on me. I

trust

always arrive on time.

A. To fall asleep or become unconscious. Pass out B. To give (something) to several or many people. To perform before (the Open for

main performer at a concert, show, etc.)

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until help arrived

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force

dp

or losing effectiveness or

were able to hold out or

condition without failing

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Hold up

ob

To continue in the same

or give in-The troops bo

against something

ah

someone or defend

sm

B. To continue to oppose

“Lisa was so tired, she got home and passed out on the sofa” “I passed out leaflets with information on our course” One of my favorite comedians is opening for the band on their current tour. For any detail mail us at [email protected]

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He began to open out [=open up] about an hour into our date. ur

ah

sm

bo

The ships opened up with heavy gunfire.

To agree to do or accept what other people want

They wanted me to cooperate with them, but I refused to play along.

pay back Pay back

To return (an amount of (something) or money) that someone pay allowed you to borrow (something) back A. To give (someone) the Pay (someone) amount of money that you borrowed back or pay back B. To punish or hurt (someone) (someone who did something bad to you) 244

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He said that he’ll pay the money back tomorrow

I’ll pay you back when I get the money. He’s finally getting paid back for all the trouble he caused. For any detail mail us at [email protected]

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Play along

B. To begin shooting

.c

Open up

She tried to get the A. To become less shy and patient to open up to speak more freely her about his problems.

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dp

or

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Open out

To become less shy and speak more freely

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Pay in-pay in

ah

sm

I went to the bank to

Pay

pay in a cheque.

ss re

(something) in

dp

or

.w

ob

account

bo

(something) or To put (money) in an

or account)

can be used for medical expenses.

Pay off

Pay out

Pay up

Put paid to

Send away for

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To produce a result that you want

It’s great to see that all of our hard work has finally paid off.

To give (an amount of

The government has

money) to someone

paid out [=disbursed]

usually over a period of

millions of dollars in

time

foreign aid.

To pay what you owe: to pay what is due To cause (something) to end: to stop (something)

We paid up and left. The storm put paid to his attempt to sail around the world.

To ask to receive

You will have to send

(something) by sending a

away to the

letter, coupon, etc., to

manufacturer for a

someone by mail

refund.

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Pay into

To put money into (a fund into an account that

.c

Each month she pays

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He was sent down for six years for the robbery.

A. To ask (someone) to come to a place

Someone should send for a doctor.

B. Send for (something)

to ask someone to bring or send (something) to youSend for our free product catalog.

A. To cause (something) to be heard

She sent forth [=emitted, let out] a loud cry.

ur

To send (someone) to prison

ah

sm

bo

Send in

A. Send in (someone) or send (someone) in

Police were sent in to restore order.

B. To tell (a player) to enter a game

He was sent in to replace the starting goaltender.

Send in (something) or To mail or e-mail send (something) to a place (something) in 246

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Please send in your poems by October 1.

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B. To produce The plant began to (something) in the process send forth [=send out] of growing or developing its shoots.

.c

Send forth

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Send for (someone)

dp

or

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Send down

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I sent off the package yesterday.

ss re

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or

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Send off Send off (something) or To send (something) by mail or another service send (something) off Send off for (something)

To ask to receive (something) by sending a letter, coupon, etc., to someone by mail

sent off for [=sent away for] a sample.

Send on

To cause (something) to go or to be carried from one place to another

I had my mail/post sent on [=forwarded, sent] to my new address.

Send out Send out (something) or Send (something) out

A. To mail (something) to many different people or places

Have you sent out the invitations yet?

B. To cause (a signal) to go out

The pilot sent out a distress signal.

C. To cause (light, heat, etc.) to move outward from a source

The coals sent out [=gave off] a reddish glow.

Work around –Work around/round (something)

To organize things or proceed in a way that avoids (something, such as a problem)

We’ll just have to find a way to work around the problem.

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To start talking or writing He eventually worked

He needs to work at

(something) better

his handwriting.

To add or include (something) in a conversation, essay, etc.

You should work more

(something) in

fresh fruit into your

(something)

diet.

B. To stir or mix (something)

Work on

248

worked in a few jokes.

A. To add or include

(something) into

Work off

During the speech, he

Work the blueberries into the mixture.

A. To pay (a debt) by

She worked off her

working

loan.

B. To lose or get rid of

He walks every day to

(something) by physical

work the extra weight

activity

off.

To be in the process of

The director is

making (something),

working on a new

doing (something), etc.

movie.

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To make an effort to do

.c

Work into

writing about other things situation.

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(something)

dp

or work in

company’s financial

or

(something) in

etc.) After talking or

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Work in Work

around to the

ob

Work at

about (a subject, issue,

bo

(something)

ah

round to

sm

Work around/

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exercises in order to

She works out at the

improve your health or

gym twice a week.

bo

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Work out

ur

A. To perform athletic

Our plan worked out

end in a desired or

perfectly.

successful way A. To find or create Work out

(something, such as a

We worked out a plan

(something) or solution or a plan) by thinking Work

to save money.

(something)

She worked out the

out

B. To use mathematics to solve (something)

problem on a piece of paper. He looked like

Work over

To hurt (someone) by

someone had worked

hitting, kicking, etc.

him over [=beat him up] pretty good.

Work up-to make Work up

(someone) feel very angry, excited, upset, etc.

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B. To happen, develop, or

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physical fitness

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A

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v Abide to

continue

in

a

particular

condition,

attitude,

relationship, etc.; last. v Abound Verb: to occur or exist in great quantities or numbers. Synonyms: flourish, proliferate, thrive, crowd, flow, infest, overflow, swarm, swell, teem, be alive with, be all over the place, be knee deep in, be no end to, be plentiful, be thick with. Antonyms: decline, fail, languish, retreat. v Accommodative Adjective: tending to accommodate; adaptive. v Adhere Verb: to stay attached; stick fast; cleave; cling (usually followed by to); to be united by a molecular force acting in the area of contact; to be devoted in support or allegiance; be attached as a follower or upholder (usually followed by to). Synonyms: comply, heed, obey, observe, stand by, follow, fulfill, keep, maintain, mind, practice, respect, support, abide by, be attached, be constant, be devoted, be devoted to, be faithful, be loyal, be true, cleave to. Antonyms: disobey, ignore, overlook, condemn. 250

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reside;

.c

Verb: to remain; continue; stay; to have one’s abode; dwell;

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v Adjudication

ah

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Noun: an act of adjudicating; Law. The act of a court in making an order, judgment, or decree. dp

or

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finding,

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v Ally Verb: to unite formally, as by treaty, league, marriage, or the like (usually followed by with or to); to associate or connect by some mutual relationship, as resemblance or friendship; to enter into an alliance; join; unite. Noun: a person, group, or nation that is associated with another or others for some common cause or purpose. Synonyms: associate, colleague, friend, partner, accessory, accomplice, co-worker, coadjutor, collaborator. Antonyms: antagonist, detractor, enemy, foe, opponent. v Aloft Adverb: high up; far above the ground; in or into the air. Preposition: on or at the top of. Synonyms: above, over, overhead, up. Antonyms: below, under. v Ambivalent Adjective: having mixed feelings about someone or something; being unable to choose between two (usually opposing) courses of action. 251

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Antonyms: beginning, indecision

.c

Synonyms: conclusion, decision, determination, pronouncement, ruling, settlement, verdict.

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Synonyms: contradictory, doubtful, equivocal, hesitant, mixed, uncertain, undecided, unsure, clashing, debatable, fluctuating, inconclusive, irresolute, opposed, unresolved, vacillating, warring, wavering. ah

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bo

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Synonyms: forgiveness, immunity, reprieve, absolution, condonation, dispensation. v Anchorage Noun: that portion of a harbor or area outside a harbor suitable for anchoring or in which ships are permitted to anchor; a charge for occupying such an area; the act of anchoring or the state of being anchored. Synonyms: dock, harbor, haven, port, refuge, roadstead, slip, wharf. v Anomaly Noun: a deviation from the common rule, type, arrangement, or form; an anomalous person or thing; one that is abnormal or does not fit in; an odd, peculiar, or strange condition, situation, quality, etc; an incongruity or inconsistency. 252

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Verb: to grant amnesty to; pardon.

.c

Antonyms: certain, clear, decided, definite. v Amnesty Noun: a general pardon for offenses, especially political offenses, against a government, often granted before any trial or conviction; Law. an act of forgiveness for past offenses, especially to a class of persons as a whole; a forgetting or overlooking of any past offense.

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Synonyms: aberration, abnormality, deviation, inconsistency, irregularity, oddity, rarity, departure, eccentricity, exception, incongruity, peculiarity, unorthodoxy. Antonyms: conformity, normality, regularity, sameness. v Aplomb Noun: imperturbable self-possession, poise, or assurance; the perpendicular, or vertical, position. Synonyms: equanimity, nonchalance, tact, balance, confidence, coolness, nerve, poise, self-possession, surety. Antonyms: fear; gaucheness. v Archaic Adjective: marked by the characteristics of an earlier period; antiquated. Synonyms: ancient, antiquated, obsolete, old-fashioned, outmoded, primitive, antique, bygone, olden, out of date, passé, superannuated. Antonyms: contemporary, current, in vogue, modern. v Aristocracy Noun: a class of persons holding exceptional rank and privileges, especially the hereditary nobility; a government or state ruled by an aristocracy, elite, or privileged upper class; government by those considered to be the best or most able people in the state. Synonyms: elite, gentility, gentry, nobility, upper class, upper crust, noblesse, patricians, peerage, society, haut monde, high society, patriciate. ah

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proletariat,

decline,

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253

plebites,

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Antonyms: commoners, descendancy.

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v Ascension Noun: the act of ascending; ascent. Synonyms: ascent, climbing, flying, mounting, rise, rising, scaling, soaring, escalating, towering. v Asphyxia Noun: the extreme condition caused by lack of oxygen and excess of carbon dioxide in the blood, produced by interference with respiration or insufficient oxygen in the air; suffocation. Synonyms: coma, slumber, trance, amazement, anesthesia, apathy, bewilderment, dullness, hebetude, hypnosis, inertia, inertness, insensibility, languor, lassitude, lethargy, narcosis. Antonyms: consciousness, wakefulness, activity, interest. v Authoritarian Adjective: favoring complete obedience or subjection to authority as opposed to individual freedom; of or relating to a governmental or political system, principle, or practice in which individual freedom is held as completely subordinate to the power or authority of the state, centered either in one person or a small group that is not constitutionally accountable to the people. Synonyms: autocracy, despotism, dictatorship, totalitarianism, monocracy. Antonym: democracy. v Awash Adjective: just level with or scarcely above the surface of the water, so that waves break over the top, as the upper deck of a ship in a heavy sea; covered with water; washing about; tossed about by the waves; covered, filled, or crowded. Synonyms: afloat, flooded, inundated, flush, flushed, overflowing. ah

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254

ur

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B

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v Ballistic Adjective: of or relating to ballistics; having its motion determined or describable by the laws of exterior ballistics. v Baton Noun: a wand used by a conductor; a rod of lightweight metal fitted with a weighted bulb at each end and carried and twirled by a drum major or majorette. Synonyms: protection cudgel, mace, nightstick, rod, truncheon, wand, billy, blackjack, club, staff, billy club.

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Binding Noun: the act of fastening, securing, uniting, or the like; anything that binds. Synonyms: conclusive, irrevocable, mandatory, required, essential, imperative. Antonyms: optional, inessential, secondary, alterable, breakable, revocable.

.c

Bargain Noun: an advantageous purchase, especially one acquired at less than the usual cost; an agreement between parties settling what each shall give and take or perform and receive in a transaction; such an agreement as affecting one of the parties. Synonyms: arrangement, contract, deal, negotiation, pact, transaction, understanding, bond, business, compact, convention, covenant, engagement. Antonyms: disagreement, misunderstanding, break, rip-off.

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Blasphemy Noun: impious utterance or action concerning God or sacred things. Synonyms: desecration, heresy, abuse, execration, impiety, impiousness, imprecation, indignity, lewdness, profanation, profaneness, profanity, sacrilege, scoffing, scurrility. Antonyms: respect, godliness, piety, religion. Blockchain Noun: a digital ledger in which transactions made in bitcoin or another cryptocurrency are recorded chronologically and publicly. Bourse Noun: a stock exchange, especially the stock exchange of certain European cities. Broker Noun: an agent who buys or sells for a principal on a commission basis without having title to the property; a person who functions as an intermediary between two or more parties in negotiating agreements, bargains, or the like. Synonyms: agent, dealer, entrepreneur, financier, intermediary, mediator, merchant, stockbroker, factor, go-between, intercessor, intermediate, negotiator, business person, middleperson. Antonyms: customer. Buck Verb: (of a saddle or pack animal) to leap with arched back and come down with head low and forelegs stiff, in order to dislodge a rider or pack; to resist or oppose obstinately; object strongly. Synonyms: bull, stag. ah

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256

ur

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C

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Caliber Noun: the diameter of something of circular section, especially that of the inside of a tube; degree of capacity or competence; ability; degree of merit or excellence; quality. Synonyms: ability, competence, quality, stature, talent, appetency, capability, constitution, dignity, distinction, endowment, essence, faculty, force, gifts, merit, nature, parts, power. Antonyms: inability, inadequacy, incompetence, weakness.

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Chant Noun: a short, simple melody, especially one characterized by single notes to which an indefinite number of syllables are intoned, used in singing psalms, canticles, etc., in church services; a psalm, canticle, or the like, chanted or for chanting; the singing or intoning of all or portions of a liturgical service. Verb: to sing to a chant, or in the manner of a chant, especially in a church service; to sing; to celebrate in song. Synonyms: hymn, mantra, melody, shout, singing, tune, carol, croon, incantation, intonation, lilt, psalm, song, trill, warble.

.c

Calibrate Verb: to determine, check, or rectify the graduation of (any instrument giving quantitative measurements); to divide or mark with gradations, graduations, or other indexes of degree, quantity, etc., as on a thermometer, measuring cup, or the like. Synonyms: aligning, averaging, calculating, checking, gauging, grading, leveling, mapping, rhyming, scaling, surveying.

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Coax

ah

sm bo

Verb: to attempt to influence by gentle persuasion, flattery, etc.; .w

ob

barter, beguile, blandish, blarney. Antonyms: discourage, repel, repulse, turn off, disenchant. Coercive Adjective: serving or tending to coerce. Synonyms: bullying, violent, forced, forceful, intimidating. Colossus Noun: (initial capital letter) the legendary bronze statue of Helios at Rhodes; any statue of gigantic size; anything colossal, gigantic, or very powerful. Synonyms: behemoth, cyclops, Gargantua, giant, goliath, Hercules, leviathan, mammoth, Samson, titan. Commensurate Adjective: corresponding in amount, magnitude, or degree; proportionate; adequate; having the same measure; of equal extent or duration. Synonyms: comparable, compatible, consistent, proportionate, sufficient, appropriate, coextensive, due, equal, equivalent, fit, fitting, in accord, symmetrical. Antonyms: incompatible, unsuitable, inadequate, inappropriate. 258

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Synonyms: cajole, entice, induce, tease, tempt, wheedle, allure,

.c

adroit handling or persistent effort; to use gentle persuasion.

ss re

dp

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cajole; to obtain by coaxing; to manipulate to a desired end by

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Comply

ah

sm bo

Verb: to act or be in accordance with wishes, requests, demands, .w

ob

ss re

dp

or

requirements, conditions, etc.; agree (sometimes followed by Synonyms: acquiesce, adhere to, give in, give up, obey, observe, quit, satisfy, submit, accede, accord, defer, discharge, ditto, fold, fulfill, keep, mind, perform, respect, yield, agree to. Antonyms: disobey, dissuade, condemn, deny. Consolidation Noun: an act or instance of consolidating; the state of being consolidated; solidification; strengthening; something that is or has been consolidated; a consolidated whole. Synonyms:

merger,

strengthening,

unification,

alliance,

amalgamation, association, coalition, compression, concentration, condensation,

federation,

fusion,

incorporation,

merging,

reinforcement, solidification, coadunation, melding, mergence. Antonyms: division, agonism, disassociation. Contentious Adjective: tending to argument or strife; quarrelsome; causing, involving, or characterized by argument or controversy. Synonyms:

antagonistic,

combative,

testy,

argumentative,

belligerent, disagreeable, factious, perverse, petulant, querulous. Antonyms: agreeable. 259

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om

.c

with).

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Contravention

ah

sm bo

Noun: an act of contravening; action counter to something; violation or opposition. dp

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ob

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Synonyms: breach, infringement, conflict, dispute, infraction, obstruction, opposition, transgression.

Verb: to crush with the teeth; chew with a crushing noise; to crush or grind noisily; to tighten or squeeze financially; order to combat inflation; to chew with a crushing sound; to produce, or proceed with, a crushing noise. Noun: an act or sound of crunching; a shortage or reduction of something needed or wanted. Synonyms: crisis, difficulty, trouble, crux, emergency, problem, test, critical point, hour of decision, moment of truth, trying time. Antonyms: calm, contentment, peace, trivia. Cult Noun: a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies; an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers; the object of such devotion. Synonyms: band, church, clan, clique, denomination, faith, religion, sect, body, creed, faction, following, party, persuasion, school. Antonyms: agnosticism, disbelief. 260

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Crunch

.c

Antonyms: agreement, harmony, obedience, peace.

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Counterparty Noun: the other person or institution entering into a financial contract or transaction. ah

sm

bo

dp

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Counterproductive Adjective: thwarting the achievement of an intended goal; tending to defeat one’s purpose. Synonyms: biased, bigoted, damaging, detrimental, disadvantageous, discriminatory, hurtful, inimical. Antonyms: advantageous, aiding, assisting, beneficial, fair, favorable, friendly.

Deficit Noun: the amount by which a sum of money falls short of the required amount; the amount by which expenditures or liabilities exceed income or assets; a lack or shortage; deficiency. 261

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Debut Noun: a first public appearance on a stage, on television, etc; the first appearance of something, as a new product; (of a young woman) a formal introduction and entrance into society, as at an annual ball; the beginning of a profession, career, etc. Verb: to make a debut, as in society or in a performing art; to appear for the first time, as on the market. Synonyms: appearance, beginning, inauguration, introduction, launching, opener, presentation, admission, bow, entrance, entree, entrée, graduating. Antonyms: conclusion, ending, finish, closing, finale.

.c

D

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Synonyms: loss, shortfall, arrears, defalcation, default, deficiency, dues, inadequacy, insufficiency, lack, paucity, scantiness, shortcoming, dead horse, due bill, in hock, in the hole, in the red, underage. ah

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Adjective: carefully weighed or considered; studied; intentional; characterized by deliberation or cautious consideration; careful or slow in deciding; leisurely and steady in movement or action; slow and even; unhurried. Verb: to weigh in the mind; consider. Synonyms: calculated, careful, cautious, cold-blooded, conscious, meticulous, premeditated, prudent, purposeful, studious, thoughtful, willful, advised, considered, designed, express, fixed, intended, judged, planned, pondered, prearranged, predetermined, projected, purposed, reasoned, resolved, schemed. Antonyms: careless, heedless, ignorant, imprudent. Demographic Adjective: of or relating to demography, the science of vital and social statistics. Noun: a single vital or social statistic of a human population, as the number of births or deaths; a specific segment of a population having shared characteristics. Synonyms: analytical, numerical, probability. 262

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Deliberate

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Antonyms: abundance, adequacy, advantage, enough.

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Deplore Verb: to regret deeply or strongly; lament; to disapprove of; censure; to feel or express deep grief for or in regard to. ah

sm

bo

dp

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Synonyms: abhor, bemoan, complain, denounce, lament, mourn, bewail, censure, cry, deprecate, hate, hurt, moan, repent, rue.

Noun: a person exercising absolute power, especially a ruler who has absolute, unrestricted control in a government without hereditary succession. Synonyms: autocrat, boss, chief, commander, despot, fascist, leader, tycoon, tyrant, absolutist, adviser, authoritarian. Antonyms: employee, follower, worker. Dilemma Noun: a situation requiring a choice between equally undesirable alternatives; any difficult or perplexing situation or problem. Synonyms: difficulty, embarrassment, impasse, mess, plight, predicament, problem, puzzle, quandary, bind, box, corner, fix, hole, hooker. Antonyms: good fortune, solution, advantage, benefit, boon, success. Discern Verb: to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; see, recognize, or apprehend; to distinguish mentally; recognize as distinct or different; discriminate; to distinguish or discriminate. 263

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Dictator

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Antonyms: approve, be happy, commend, compliment.

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Synonyms: anticipate, ascertain, detect, determine, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, divine, figure out, find out, foresee, perceive, apprehend, behold, descry, discover, espy, extricate, focus. Antonyms: confuse, doubt, miss, mix up. Discourse Noun: communication of thought by words; talk; conversation; a formal discussion of a subject in speech or writing, as a dissertation, treatise, sermon, etc. Verb: to communicate thoughts orally; talk; converse. Synonyms: communication, conversation, discussion, essay, lecture, monologue, rhetoric, speech. Antonyms: quiet, silence. Discretionary Adjective: subject or left to one’s own discretion; for any use or purpose one chooses; not earmarked for a particular purpose. Synonyms: unrestricted, at the call, elective, facultative, judge and jury, leftover, nonobligatory, open, optional. ah

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Distinctive Adjective: serving to distinguish; characteristic; distinguishing; having a special quality, style, attractiveness, etc.; notable. Synonyms: uniqueness, discreteness, disparateness, particularity, separateness, specialness, specialty. Disrupt Verb: to cause disorder or turmoil in; to destroy, usually temporarily, the normal continuance or unity of; interrupt; to break apart.

.c

Antonyms: nondiscretionary.

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Synonyms: disturb, rattle, agitate, bollix, confuse, disarray, ah

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bo

discombobulate, discompose, disorder, muddle, rummage, ss re

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shake, spoil, throw, unsettle, mess up, mix up, muck up.

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Antonyms: appease, soothe, calm, clear up. Dearth

Noun: an inadequate supply; scarcity; lack; scarcity and dearness of food; famine. Synonyms:

absence,

deficiency,

inadequacy,

lack,

paucity,

shortage, default, defect, famine, infrequency, meagerness, miss, need, poverty, privation, rareness, scantiness, scantness, sparsity. Antonyms: abundance, adequacy, enough, plenty. Defile Verb: to make foul, dirty, or unclean; pollute; taint; debase; to violate the chastity of; to make impure for ceremonial use; desecrate; to sully, as a person’s reputation. Synonyms: besmirch, debase, degrade, desecrate, discolor, dishonor, sully. Antonyms: elevate, honor, praise, upgrade, assist, clean cleanse. Downpour Noun: a heavy, drenching rain. Synonyms: deluge, flood, monsoon, rainstorm, storm, cloudburst, inundation, drencher, torrential rain. Antonym: sprinkle. 265

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Ethical Adjective: pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct; being in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice, especially the standards of a profession. Synonyms: honest, honorable, humane, principled, proper, virtuous, clean, conscientious, correct, decent, elevated, equitable, fair, fitting, good, high-principled, just,kosher. Antonyms: corrupt, dishonest, immoral, improper.

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Efflux Noun: outward flow, as of water; something that flows out; effluence; a passing or lapse of time; a passing away; expiration; ending. Synonyms: discharge, effluence, emanation.

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Ethos Noun: sociology. The fundamental character or spirit of a culture; the underlying sentiment that informs the beliefs, customs, or practices of a group or society; dominant assumptions of a people or period; the character or disposition of a community, group, person, etc.; the moral element in dramatic literature that determines a character’s action rather than his or her thought or emotion. Synonyms: ideology, mentality, mindset, spirit, attitude, beliefs, code, culture, habits, mind, principles, psyche, psychology, traits, values. Antonyms: body, physicality.

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Endogamy

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Noun: marriage within a specific tribe or similar social unit.

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ob

private, secret, autogenous, in-house, inland, inner, innermost, inward, visceral, within. Antonyms: business, open, public, revealed. Entail Verb: to cause or involve by necessity or as a consequence; to impose as a burden; to limit the passage of (a landed estate) to a specified line of heirs, so that it cannot be alienated, devised, or bequeathed. Noun: the act of entailing. Synonyms: bring about, call for, encompass, involve, lead to, necessitate, require, cause, demand, entangle, evoke, impose, occasion, tangle, give rise to. Antonyms: exclude, untangle, untwist. Evade Verb: to escape from by trickery or cleverness; to get around by trickery; to avoid doing or fulfilling. Related forms: evader, noun. Synonyms: debtor, defaulter, felon, hoodlum, juvenile delinquent, lawbreaker, offender, wrongdoer, behind. 267

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Synonyms: internal, remote, domestic, gut, home, intimate,

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Adjective: proceeding from within; derived internally.

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Endogenous

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Exhort

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Verb: to urge, advise, or caution earnestly; admonish urgently; to give urgent advice, recommendations, or warnings. dp

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Synonyms: admonish, advise, beseech, call upon, caution, encourage, enjoin, incite, persuade.

Adjective: introduced or coming from without; not belonging or proper to a thing; external; foreign; not pertinent; irrelevant. Synonyms: additional, immaterial, incidental, nonessential, superfluous, supplementary, unconnected, unnecessary, unrelated, accidental, adventitious, beside the point, extra, foreign, impertinent, inadmissible, inapplicable, inapposite, inappropriate. Antonyms: essential, important, material, necessary. F Feasible Adjective: capable of being done, effected, or accomplished; probable; likely; suitable. Synonyms: achievable, advantageous, appropriate, attainable, beneficial, expedient, likely, practicable, practical, profitable, reasonable, suitable, viable, workable, worthwhile, breeze, cinch, duck soup. Antonyms: impractical. 268

disadvantageous,

implausible,

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Extraneous

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Antonyms: deter, discourage, dissuade, answer, leave alone.

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Fester

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Verb: to form pus; generate purulent matter; suppurate; to cause ulceration, as a foreign body in the flesh; to putrefy or rot; to rankle, as a feeling of resentment.

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Antonyms: build, delight, flourish, grow, improve. Fiat Noun: an authoritative decree, sanction, or order. Synonyms: authorization, directive, ruling, mandate, diktat, ukase. Antonyms: denial, disapproval, opposition, veto. Firebrand Noun: a piece of burning wood or other material; a person who kindles strife or encourages unrest; an agitator; troublemaker. Synonyms: demonstrator, guerrilla, instigator, malcontent, protester, rabble-rouser, rebel, revolutionist, troublemaker. Flagship Noun: a ship carrying the flag officer or the commander of a fleet, squadron, or the like, and displaying the officer’s flag; the main vessel of a shipping company; any of the best or largest ships or airplanes operated by a passenger line. Adjective: being or constituting a flagship. 269

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Synonyms: smolder, aggravate, blister, canker, chafe, decay, gall, gather, irk, maturate, putrefy, rankle, rot, suppurate.

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Noun: an ulcer; a rankling sore; a small, purulent, superficial sore.

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Synonyms: bellwether, crown jewel, chief, forerunner, head, flotilla leader, front runner, lead ship, mothership. ah

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Flak

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Noun: antiaircraft fire, especially as experienced by the crews of combat airplanes at which the fire is directed; criticism; hostile reaction; abuse.

Fringe Noun: a decorative border of thread, cord, or the like, usually hanging loosely from a raveled edge or separate strip; anything resembling or suggesting this; an outer edge; margin; periphery. Verb: to furnish with or as if with a fringe; to serve as a fringe for, or to be arranged around or along so as to suggest a fringe. Synonyms: brink, edge, hem, outskirts, perimeter, periphery, skirt, verge, binding, borderline, brim, edging, flounce, limit, mane, march, margin, outside. Antonyms: center, inside, interior, middle. Frisk Verb: to dance, leap, skip, or gambol; frolic; to search (a person) for concealed weapons, contraband goods, etc., by feeling the person’s clothing. Noun: a leap, skip, or caper; a frolic or gambol. 270

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Antonyms: approval, commendation, compliment, endorsement.

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Synonyms: abuse, brickbat, censure, condemnation, disapprobation, disapproval, disparagement, hostility, knock, opposition, pan, rap, swipe.

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Synonyms: bounce, caper, dance, frolic, gambol, hop, jump, lark, ah

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leap, play, prance, rollick, romp, skip, sport, trip.

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Antonym: face.

Noun: the part of a country that borders another country; boundary; border; the land or territory that forms the furthest extent of a country’s settled or inhabited regions. Synonyms: borderland, borderline, bound, confines, edge, limit, march, perimeter, verge. Antonyms: center, inside, interior, middle. G Generic Adjective: of, applicable to, or referring to all the members of a genus, class, group, or kind; general; of, relating to, or noting a genus, especially in biology; (of a word) applicable or referring to both men and women. Noun: a generic term; any product, as a type of food, drug, or cosmetic commonly marketed under a brand name, that is sold in a package without a brand. Synonyms:

universal,

blanket,

collective,

comprehensive,

sweeping, all-encompassing, inclusive, nonexclusive. Antonyms: exclusive, individual, particular, specific. 271

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Frontier

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Glimpse

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Noun: a very brief, passing look, sight, or view; a momentary or ss re

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slight appearance; a vague idea; inkling; a gleam, as of light.

Synonyms: check out, peek, descry, espy, eye, flash, sight, spot, spy, view, catch sight of, get a load of, get an eyeful, take a gander, take in. Antonyms: stare. Grapple Verb: to hold or make fast to something, as with a grapple; to use a grapple; to seize another, or each other, in a firm grip, as in wrestling; clinch; to seize, hold, or fasten with or as with a grapple. Noun: a hook or an iron instrument by which one thing, as a ship, fastens onto another; grapnel; a seizing or gripping. Synonyms: confront, contend, cope, deal with, attack, battle, catch, clash, clasp, close, clutch, combat, encounter, engage, face, fasten, fight, grasp, grip, hold, hook, hug, nab, nail, scuffle, seize, snatch, struggle, tackle, take, tussle, do battle, take on. Antonyms: agree, avoid, be immune, cancel. Grudge Noun: a persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury. 272

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(usually followed by at); to come into view; appear faintly.

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Verb: to catch or take a glimpse of; to look briefly; glance

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Verb: be resentfully unwilling to give or allow (something), feel ah

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resentful that (someone) has achieved (something)

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envy, begrudge, resent, mind Gruesome Adjective: causing repulsion or horror; grisly. Synonyms: grisly, ghastly, frightful, horrid, horrifying, fearful, hideous, macabre, spine-chilling, horrible, horrendous. Antonyms: pleasant H Hail Verb: to cheer, salute, or greet; welcome; to acclaim; approve enthusiastically; to call out to in order to stop, attract attention, ask aid, etc; to call out in order to greet, attract attention, etc. Noun: a shout or call to attract attention; a salutation or greeting. Synonyms: barrage, bombardment, hailstorm, rain, salvo, shower, storm, volley, broadside, cannonade, pelting. Hapless Adjective: unlucky; luckless; unfortunate. Synonyms: unlucky, woeful, behind the eightball, cursed, hexed, ill-fated, ill-, red, infelicitous. Antonyms: happy, fortuitous, fortunate, lucky, well-off. 273

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annoyed about, be angry about, be displeased about, grievance,

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Hasten

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Verb: to move or act with haste; proceed with haste; hurry; to cause to hasten; accelerate. ss re

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Headwind Noun: a wind opposed to the course of a moving object, especially an aircraft or other vehicle (opposed to tailwind ). Hedge Noun: a row of bushes or small trees planted close together, especially when forming a fence or boundary; hedgerow; any barrier or boundary. Verb: to enclose with or separate by a hedge; to surround and confine as if with a hedge; restrict (often followed by in, about, etc.) Synonyms: fence, shrubbery, barrier, bush, enclosure, guard, hedgerow, hurdle, protection, quickset, screen, thicket, windbreak. Antonyms: opening. Hook Noun: anything that catches; snare; trap; something that attracts attention or serves as an enticement. Synonyms: absorbed, enamored, captivated, devoted, obsessed, dependent, prone, strung out, under the influence. 274

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Antonyms: check, decelerate, halt, hinder, retard.

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Synonyms: accelerate, expedite, precipitate, quicken, step up, urge, advance, bolt, bound, burn, bustle, clip, dash, dispatch.

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Holistic

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Adjective: incorporating the concept of holism, or the idea that the whole is more than merely the sum of its parts, in theory or practice

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Noun: the line or circle that forms the apparent boundary between earth and sky; the limit or range of perception, knowledge, or the like. Synonyms: boundary, perspective, prospect, scope, border, compass, ken, limit, purview. Huddle Verb: to gather or crowd together in a close mass; to crouch, curl up, or draw oneself together; Football. to get together in a huddle. Noun: a closely gathered group, mass, or heap; bunch. Synonyms: disorganized bunch, chaos, cluster, clutter, confab, conference, confusion, disarray, discussion, disorder, gathering, group, heap, jumble. Antonyms: arrangement, calm, harmony, individual. Hyphenate Verb: to join by a hyphen; to write or divide with a hyphen. Adjective: of or relating to something of distinct form or origin that has been joined; connected by a hyphen. Noun: a person working or excelling in more than one craft or occupation. 275

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Horizon

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Synonyms: comprehensive, integrated, aggregate, entire, full, total, universal.

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Imminent Adjective: likely to occur at any moment; impending; projecting or leaning forward; overhanging. Synonyms: forthcoming, immediate, impending, inevitable, likely, looming, possible, probable, unavoidable, about to happen, approaching, brewing, close, coming, expectant, fastapproaching, following, gathering, handwriting-on-the-wall, in store, in the air, in the cards, in the offing, in the wind, in view, ineluctable, inescapable. Antonyms: avoidable, distant, escapable, later.

Noun: the holder of an office; a person who holds an ecclesiastical benefice. Synonyms: binding, necessary, compelling, urgent. Antonyms: unnecessary. 276

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Incumbent Adjective: holding an indicated position, role, office, etc., currently; obligatory (often followed by on or upon).

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Impose Verb: to lay on or set as something to be borne, endured, obeyed, fulfilled, paid, etc.; to put or set by or as if by authority; to obtrude or thrust (oneself, one’s company, etc.) upon others. Synonyms: appoint, charge, demand, enforce, establish, foist, force, inflict, institute, introduce, lay down. Antonyms: disorder, displace, forget, overlook, prevent, remove, aid.

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Inducement

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Noun: the act of inducing; the state of being induced; something ss re

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that induces, motivates, or persuades; incentive.

incitement, influence, leader, lure, reward, spur, temptation. Antonyms: discouragement, dislike, hate, repulsion. Inevitable Adjective: unable to be avoided, evaded, or escaped; certain; necessary; sure to occur, happen, or come; unalterable. Noun: that which is unavoidable. Synonyms: irresistible,

imminent, necessary,

impending,

inescapable,

unavoidable,

undeniable,

inexorable, binding,

doomed, pat, all locked up, assured, compulsory, decided, decreed, destined, determined, fated, fateful, fixed, for certain, foreordained, in the bag, ineluctable. Antonyms: avoidable, distant, escapable, later. Intelligentsia Plural noun: intellectuals considered as a group or class, especially as a cultural, social, or political elite. Synonyms: circle, club, company, degree, family, grade, league, place, position, ancestry, birth. Antonyms: unemployment, conclusion, consequence, death, effect, end, outgrowth, result. 277

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cause, come-on, con, consideration, desire, hook, impulse,

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Synonyms: encouragement, stimulus, attraction, bait, carrot,

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Invoke

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Verb: to call for with earnest desire; make supplication or pray or

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for; to call on (a deity, Muse, etc.), as in prayer or supplication; to

upon (a spirit) by incantation. Synonyms: appeal to, conjure, adjure, beg, beseech, crave, entreat, implore, importune, petition, plead, pray, request, solicit, summon, supplicate, call forth, send for. Antonyms: answer, give, reply. Inherent Adjective: existing in someone or something as a permanent and inseparable element, quality, or attribute; inhering. Synonyms: constitutionally, genetically, intrinsically, naturally, by birth, congenitally, immanently, inseparably, natively. Intelligentsia Noun: intellectuals considered as a group or class, especially as a cultural, social, or political elite. Synonyms: circle, club, company, degree, family, grade, league, place, position, ancestry, birth. Antonyms: unemployment, conclusion, consequence, death, effect, end, outgrowth, result. 278

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confirmation; to petition or call on for help or aid; to call forth or

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declare to be binding or in effect; to appeal to, as for

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Interlocutor Noun: a person who takes part in a conversation or dialogue; the man in the middle of the line of performers in a minstrel troupe, who acts as the announcer and banters with the end men; a person who questions; interrogator. Synonyms: interrogator, interviewer, questioner, speaker, talker, dialogist. ah

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Adjective: belonging to a thing by its very nature. Synonyms: deep-seated, elemental, inherent, innate, peculiar, underlying, built-in, central, congenital, connate, constitutional, constitutive, essential, fundamental, genuine, hereditary, inbred, indwelling, inmost, intimate. Antonyms: acquired, extrinsic, learned, accidental. Intuitive Adjective: perceiving directly by intuition without rational thought, as a person or the mind; perceived by, resulting from, or involving intuition; having or possessing intuition. Synonyms: emotional, innate, perceptive, spontaneous, visceral, automatic, direct, habitual, immediate, inherent, instinctual, involuntary, natural, understood, unreflecting, untaught. Antonyms: calculated, meditated, reasoned, taught. 279

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Interventionism Noun: the policy or doctrine of intervening, especially government interference in the affairs of another state or in domestic economic affairs.

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Jactitation

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Noun: Law. a false boast or claim that causes injury to another.

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Jittery Adjective: extremely tense and nervous; jumpy.

Synonyms: anxious, apprehensive, edgy, excitable, fidgety, jumpy, panicky, restless, shaky, skittish, spooked, tense, uneasy, uptight, antsy, high-strung. Antonyms: calm, collected, composed, cool. Jocund Adjective: cheerful; merry; blithe; glad. Synonyms: blithe, elated, jocose, jocular, jolly, lighthearted, sprightly. Antonyms: sad. Jostle Verb: to bump, push, shove, brush against, or elbow roughly or rudely; to drive or force by, or as if by, pushing or shoving; to exist in close contact or proximity with. Noun: a shock, push, bump, or brush against someone or something. Synonyms: hustle, scramble, shove, bulldoze, butt, crash, crowd, elbow, jab, jog, joggle, jolt. Antonyms: leave alone, pull, repress. 280

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Jurisprudent

ah

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Adjective: versed in jurisprudence.

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Noun: a person versed in jurisprudence.

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Synonyms: adjudicator, appraiser, arbiter, assessor, authority, bench, chancellor, conciliator.

Noun: anything kept, or given to be kept, as a token of friendship or affection; remembrance. Synonyms: memento, relic, souvenir, trophy, emblem, favor, memorial, remembrance, reminder, symbol, token. Kickshaw Noun: a tidbit or delicacy, especially one served as an appetizer or hors d’oeuvre; something showy but without value; trinket; trifle. Kindred Noun: a person’s relatives collectively; kinfolk; kin; a group of persons related to another; family, tribe, or clan; natural relationship; affinity. Adjective: associated by origin, nature, qualities, etc. Knuckle Noun: a joint of a finger, especially one of the articulations of a metacarpal with a phalanx; the rounded prominence of such a joint when the finger is bent; a joint of meat, consisting of the parts about the carpal or tarsal joint of a quadruped. 281

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Keepsake

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Synonyms: accept, acquiesce, bend, capitulate, comply, defer, give in, kowtow, relent, succumb, surrender, yield. ah

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Antonyms: conquer, decline, deny, disagree.

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Launder Verb: to wash (clothes, linens, etc.); to wash and iron (clothes); to disguise the source of (illegal or secret funds or profits), usually by transmittal through a foreign bank or a complex network of intermediaries. Synonyms: clean, cleanse. Legitimate Adjective: according to law; lawful; in accordance with established rules, principles, or standards; born in wedlock or of legally married parents; in accordance with the laws of reasoning; logically inferable; logical. Synonyms: appropriate, certain, consistent, correct, fair, genuine, justifiable, lawful, logical, natural, normal, proper, real, reasonable, reliable, rightful, sensible, statutory, true, wellfounded, accepted, accredited, acknowledged, authorized, received, recognized, sanctioned, sound, warranted, admissible, canonical, cogent, customary, innocent, just, licit. Antonyms: abnormal, affected, counter, deceptive. 282

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Verb: to be extraordinarily pleased; especially, to be bursting with pride, as over one’s family.

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Lobby

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Noun: an entrance hall, corridor, or vestibule, as in a public .w

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building, often serving as an anteroom; foyer; a large public

legislature to vote according to the group’s special interest. Verb: to solicit or try to influence the votes of members of a legislative body. Synonyms: corridor, doorway, foyer, hall, hallway, porch, vestibule, waiting

room,

antechamber,

gateway,

passage,

passageway. Lure Noun: anything that attracts, entices, or allures; the power of attracting or enticing; a decoy; live or especially artificial bait used in fishing or trapping. Verb: to attract, entice, or tempt; allure. Synonyms: allurement, ambush, appeal, attraction, bribe, call, camouflage, carrot. Antonyms: certainty, discouragement, fact, hindrance. Lynch Verb: to put to death, especially by hanging, by mob action and without legal authority. Synonyms: execution, capital punishment, mob justice, stringing up, the gallows, vigilante justice. 283

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who work or conduct a campaign to influence members of a

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room or hall adjacent to a legislative chamber; a group of persons

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Mandate Noun: a command or authorization to act in a particular way on a public issue given by the electorate to its representative; a command from a superior court or official to a lower one. Verb: to authorize or decree (a particular action), as by the enactment of law; to order or require; make mandatory; to consign (a territory, colony, etc.) to the charge of a particular nation under a mandate. Synonyms: authorization, command, decree, directive, injunction, instruction, sanction. Antonyms: breach, break, denial, question, refusal, request. Manifestation Noun: an act of manifesting; the state of being manifested; outward or perceptible indication; materialization; a public demonstration, as for political effect. Synonyms: demonstration, explanation, expression, indication, instance, meaning, phenomenon, symptom, token, appearance, disclosure, display, exposure, mark, materialization, revelation, show, sign. Antonyms: concealment, hiding, reality, secret. Marginalize Verb: to place in a position of marginal importance, influence, or power. Synonyms: criticize, demean, deprecate, diminish, disparage, belittle, depreciate, dismiss. Antonyms: elevate, praise, promote, celebrate, value, acclaim, adulate.

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Modicum Noun: a moderate or small amount. Synonyms: iota, ounce, shred, atom, crumb, dash, drop, fraction, fragment, grain, inch, jot, little, minim, mite, molecule, particle, pinch, scrap, smidge. Antonyms: lot, entirety, total, whole. ah

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Nag Verb: to annoy by persistent faultfinding, complaints, or demands; to keep in a state of troubled awareness or anxiety, as a recurrent pain or problem. Synonyms: annoy, badger, berate, fuss, hector, hound, irk, irritate, pester, scold, tease, torment, vex, bait, bug, dog, eat. Antonyms: aid, assist, compliment, delight. Nasty Adjective: physically filthy; disgustingly unclean; nauseating; offensive; objectionable; dangerous; serious. 285

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Monetize Verb: to legalize as money; to coin into money; to give the character of money to; economics. To convert (a debt, especially the national debt) into currency, especially by issuing government securities or notes. Synonyms: cast, construct, devise, fabricate, fashion, forge, invent, issue, make, mold, produce, provide, punch, stamp, strike, make up, think up. Antonyms: break, demolish, destroy, dismantle.

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Synonyms: awful, dirty, fierce, horrible, icky, murderous, noxious, obnoxious, ornery, outrageous, rough, tough, unpleasant. Antonyms: agreeable, calm, delightful, easy. Navigate Verb: to move on, over, or through (water, air, or land) in a ship or aircraft; to direct or manage (a ship, aircraft, or guided missile) on its course; to ascertain or plot and control the course or position of (a ship, aircraft, etc.); to pass over (the sea or other body of water), as a ship does. Synonyms: cross, cruise, handle, maneuver, operate, sail, steer, captain, direct, drive, helm, journey, pilot, plan, plot, skipper. Antonyms: neglect, forget, get lost. Negotiate Verb: to deal or bargain with another or others, as in the preparation of a treaty or contract or in preliminaries to a business deal; to arrange for or bring about by discussion and settlement of terms. Synonyms: agree, arrange, confer, consult, debate, haggle, handle, mediate, settle, work out, accommodate, adjudicate, adjust, arbitrate, compose, concert, conciliate, connect, contract. Antonyms: confuse, contend, disagree, mix up. Norm Noun: a standard, model, or pattern; general level or average. Synonyms: benchmark, criterion, measure, model, pattern, rule, barometer, gauge, mean, median, medium, par, scale, touchstone, type, yardstick. Antonyms: extreme, end, exception. ah

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Oasis Noun: a small fertile or green area in a desert region, usually having a spring or well; something serving as a refuge, relief, or pleasant change from what is usual, annoying, difficult, etc. Synonyms: fountain, well, wellspring, watering hole.

Opportunism Noun: the policy or practice, as in politics, business, or one’s personal affairs, of adapting actions, decisions, etc., to expediency or effectiveness regardless of the sacrifice of ethical principles; action or judgment in accordance with this policy. Synonyms: advantage, advantageousness, expedience, exploitation, opportunity, timeliness. 287

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Onerous Adjective: burdensome, oppressive, or troublesome; causing hardship; having or involving obligations or responsibilities, especially legal ones, that outweigh the advantages. Synonyms: arduous, backbreaking, burdensome, cumbersome, demanding, difficult, distressing, excessive, exhausting, grueling, harsh. Antonyms: calm, easy, easy-going, effortless.

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Oligarch Noun: one of the rulers in an oligarchy. Synonyms: autocrat, boss, chief, commander, despot, fascist, leader, tycoon, tyrant, absolutist, adviser, authoritarian. Antonyms: employee, follower, worker.

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Overhear Verb: to hear (speech or a speaker) without the speaker’s intention or knowledge. Synonyms: discovered, heard, recorded. ah

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P Pace Noun: a rate of movement, especially in stepping, walking, etc.; a rate of activity, progress, growth, performance, etc.; tempo. Synonyms: clip, measure, step, footstep, gait, lick, stride, tread, walk, get along. Paternalism Noun: the system, principle, or practice of managing or governing individuals, businesses, nations, etc., in the manner of a father dealing benevolently and often intrusively with his children. Synonyms: condescending, patronizing, dismissive, oppressive. Paradox Noun: a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth; any person, thing, or situation exhibiting an apparently contradictory nature. Synonyms: absurdity, ambiguity, anomaly, enigma, inconsistency, mystery, oddity, catch, error. Antonyms: normality, regularity, standard, usualness, accuracy, certainty, correction, same, success. Peer-review Noun: evaluation of a person’s work or performance by a group of people in the same occupation, profession, or industry. 288

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Perinatal Adjective: occurring during or pertaining to the phase surrounding the time of birth, from the twentieth week of gestation to the twenty-eighth day of newborn life. ah

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Pertinent Adjective: pertaining or relating directly and significantly to the matter at hand; relevant. Synonyms: admissible, applicable, appropriate, germane, opportune, related, ad rem, apposite, apropos, apt, connected, fit, fitting, kosher, legit, material. Antonyms: improper, inapplicable, inappropriate, irrelevant. 289

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Persistence Noun: the act or fact of persisting; the quality of being persistent; continued existence or occurrence; the continuance of an effect after its cause is removed. Synonyms: endurance, grit, perseverance, stamina, tenacity, constancy, doggedness. Antonyms: apathy, laziness, lethargy, weakness, idleness, indifference, indolence.

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Pernicious Adjective: causing insidious harm or ruin; ruinous; injurious; hurtful; deadly; fatal; evil; wicked. Synonyms: damaging, dangerous, deadly, destructive, detrimental, devastating, harmful, lethal, malicious, nefarious, noxious, poisonous, ruinous, toxic, virulent, baleful, deleterious. Antonyms: advantageous, assisting, beneficial, benevolent.

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Pinprick

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Noun: any minute puncture made by a pin or the like; a .w

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negligible irritation or annoyance.

Noun: a paperboard sign or notice, as one posted in a public place or carried by a demonstrator or picketer. Verb: to display placards on or in; to publicize, announce, or advertise by means of placards; to post as a placard. Synonyms: advertisement, banner, billboard, handbill, marquee, poster, signboard, announcement, bill, public notice. Placid Adjective: pleasantly calm or peaceful; unruffled; tranquil; serenely quiet or undisturbed. Synonyms: easygoing, even-tempered, gentle, peaceful, quiet, serene, tranquil, collected, composed, cool, cool as a cucumber, detached. Antonyms: agitated, clamorous, disturbed, excited, loud. Plight Noun: a condition, state, or situation, especially an unfavorable or unfortunate one. Synonyms:

condition,

predicament,

quandary,

trouble,

circumstances, corner, extremity, fix, hole, impasse, jam, perplexity, pickle, pinch, scrape. Antonyms: advantage, solution, benefit, boon. 290

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Placard

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Plummet Noun: a piece of lead or some other weight attached to a line, used for determining perpendicularity, for sounding, etc.; the bob of a plumb line; something that weighs down or depresses. ah

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Verb: to plunge. Synonyms: collapse, crash, decline, decrease, descend, dip, dive, drop, drop down, fall, nose-dive, plunge, sink, skid, tumble, downturn, dump, precipitate, stoop, swoop. Antonyms: ascend, go up, grow, increase. Poignant Adjective: keenly distressing to the feelings; keen or strong in mental appeal; affecting or moving the emotions; pungent to the smell. Synonyms: bitter, disturbing, emotional, heartbreaking, heartrending, moving, passionate, pathetic, sad, sentimental, touching, agitating, agonizing, distressing, impressive, intense, perturbing, piteous, pitiful. Antonyms: cheerful, happy, indifferent, unaffecting. Polarization Noun: a sharp division, as of a population or group, into opposing factions. Synonyms: emission, broadcast, circulation, diffraction, diffusion, dispersal, dispersion, dissipation, distribution, divarication, divergence, propagation, ramification, scattering, spread, transmission. Antonym: collection. 291

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Portfolio

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Noun: a flat, portable case for carrying loose papers, drawings, .w

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etc; such a case for carrying documents of a government

or post of a minister of state or member of a cabinet. Synonyms: bag, briefcase, case, container, envelope, folder, notebook, valise, attaché case, brief bag. Premise Noun: Also, premiss. Logic. a proposition supporting or helping to support a conclusion; a tract of land including its buildings; a building together with its grounds or other appurtenances; the property forming the subject of a conveyance or bequest. Verb: to set forth beforehand, as by way of introduction or explanation; to assume, either explicitly or implicitly, (a proposition) as a premise for a conclusion. Antonyms: denial, reality, rejection, fact. Punitive Adjective: serving for, concerned with, or inflicting punishment. Synonyms: disciplinary, penal, punishing, retaliatory, vindictive, punitory. Antonyms: beneficial, rewarding. 292

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paper, etc., of a financial institution or private investor; the office

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department; the total holdings of the securities, commercial

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Precursor

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Noun: a person or thing that precedes, as in a job, a method, etc.; predecessor; a person, animal, or thing that goes before and indicates the approach of someone or something else; harbinger.

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Noun: the head of the cabinet; first minister; prime minister; a chief officer. Adjective: first in rank; chief; leading; first in time; earliest; oldest. Presumptive Adjective: affording ground for presumption; based on likelihood or presumption; regarded as such by presumption; based on inference. Synonyms: probable, circumstantial, possible. Pretense Noun: pretending or feigning; make-believe; a false show of something; a piece of make-believe; the act of pretending. Synonyms: charade, cloak, pretext, semblance, veneer, act, acting, affectation, appearance, artifice, claim, deceit, deception, display, dissimulation, double-dealing, evasion, excuse, fabrication, facade, fakery, falsification, feigning, gag, guise, insincerity, invention. Antonyms: reality, frankness, honesty, honor. 293

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Premier

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Synonyms: or event beforehand forerunner, harbinger, herald, messenger, outrider, usher, vanguard.

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Proliferation Noun: the growth or production of cells by multiplication of parts; a rapid and often excessive spread or increase. Synonyms: generation, procreation, propagation, reproduction. ah

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Quell Verb: to suppress; put an end to; extinguish; to vanquish; subdue; to quiet or allay (emotions, anxieties, etc.). Synonyms: annihilate, conquer, crush, extinguish, overcome, put down, quench, silence, stamp out, stifle, subdue, kill, overpower, queer, stop, subjugate. Antonyms: build up, compliment, encourage, help. Quip Verb: make a witty remark. Synonyms: joke, jest, pun, sally, banter Quotation Noun: a group of words taken from a text or speech and repeated by someone other than the original author or speaker; A formal statement setting out the estimated cost for a particular job or service. Synonyms: citation, quote, reference, mention, allusion, excerpt, extract, price, quote, tender, bid, cost 294

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Punitive Adjective: serving for, concerned with, or inflicting punishment. Synonyms: disciplinary, penal, punishing, retaliatory, vindictive, castigating, correctional, in reprisal, in retaliation, revengeful. Antonyms: beneficial, rewarding.

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Rationalize

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Verb: to ascribe (one’s acts, opinions, etc.) To causes that superficially seem reasonable and valid but that actually are unrelated to the true, possibly unconscious and often less creditable or agreeable causes; to remove unreasonable elements from; to make rational or conformable to reason; to treat or explain in a rational or rationalistic manner.

Verb: to express sharp, stern disapproval of; reprove; reprimand. Noun: sharp, stern disapproval; reproof; reprimand. Synonyms: admonition, censure, condemnation, disapproval, punishment, rebuff, reproach, snub, admonishment, affliction, berating, blame, castigation, chiding, comeuppance, correction, earful, expostulation, going-over, lecture, lesson, objurgation. Antonyms: approval, encouragement, endorsement, exoneration. Recessive Adjective: tending to go, move, or slant back; receding; genetics. Of or relating to a recessive. Synonyms: receding, relapsing, regressive, suspended.

dormant,

inactive,

latent,

Antonyms: dominant, overbalancing, prevailing. 295

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Rebuke

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Synonyms: deliberate, elucidate, excise, excuse, extenuate, reason, reconcile, resolve, think, vindicate, account for, apply logic, cop a plea, cop out, explain away.

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Reckon Verb: to count, compute, or calculate, as in number or amount; to esteem or consider; regard as. Synonyms: calculate, look upon, surmise, take account of, account, appraise, approximate, call, cast, cipher, compute, conjecture, consider. Antonyms: abandon, cancel, disbelieve, displace. ah

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Verb: to furbish again; renovate; brighten. Synonyms: fix up, modernize, overhaul, recondition, redo, refit, rehabilitate, remodel, renovate, repair, restore, revamp, update, mend, refresh. Antonyms: antique, break, damage, destroy. Refutation Noun: an act of refuting a statement, charge, etc.; disproof. Synonyms: rebuttal, argument, confutation, disproof, elenchus. Antonyms: confirmation. 296

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Refurbish

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Reconcile Verb: to cause (a person) to accept or be resigned to something not desired; to win over to friendliness; cause to become amicable; to compose or settle (a quarrel, dispute, etc.); to bring into agreement or harmony; make compatible or consistent. Synonyms: accommodate, appease, assuage, conform, coordinate, harmonize, integrate, pacify, placate, rectify, resolve, reunite, accord, accustom, arbitrate, arrange, attune, compose. Antonyms: agitate, fight, incite, irritate.

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Reimburse Verb: to make repayment to for expense or loss incurred; to pay back; refund; repay. Synonyms: payment, remuneration, repayment, restitution, indemnification, recompense. ah

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Respite Noun: a delay or cessation for a time, especially of anything distressing or trying; an interval of relief; temporary suspension of the execution of a person condemned to death; reprieve. Verb: to relieve temporarily, especially from anything distressing or trying; give an interval of relief from; to grant delay in the carrying out of (a punishment, obligation, etc.). Synonyms: breather, breathing space, downtime, hiatus, interruption, layoff, letup, lull, recess, relaxation, relief, reprieve, truce, acquittal, adjournment, break, breath, cessation, deadlock, deferment, delay, deliverance, discharge, ease, exculpation, five, forgiveness, halt. Antonyms: continuation, advance, beginning, blame.

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Repeal Verb: to revoke or withdraw formally or officially; to revoke or annul (a law, tax, duty, etc.) By express legislative enactment; abrogate. Noun: the act of repealing; revocation; abrogation. Synonyms: abolish, abrogate, annul, cancel, dismantle, invalidate, lift, nullify, rescind, reverse, revoke, set aside, void, wipe out, withdraw, backpedal. Antonyms: allow, approve, build, enforce.

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Robust

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Adjective: strong and healthy; hardy; vigorous; strongly or .w

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stoutly built; suited to or requiring bodily strength or endurance; Synonyms: booming, hearty, hefty, potent, powerful, prosperous, sturdy,

tough, vigorous, able-bodied, athletic,

boisterous,

brawny, built. Antonyms: fragile, impotent, incapable, ineffective. S Savvy Adjective: experienced, knowledgeable, and well-informed; shrewd (often used in combination): consumers who are savvy about prices. Noun: practical understanding; shrewdness or intelligence; common sense. Verb: to know; understand. Schlemiel Noun: an awkward and unlucky person for whom things never turn out right. Synonyms: blockhead, boob, bungler, dimwit, dope, dork, dumbbell. Antonyms: brain, genius. 298

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rough, rude, or boisterous.

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Scrutiny

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Noun: a searching examination or investigation; minute inquiry; surveillance; close and continuous watching or guarding; a close and searching look.

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Noun: something claimed by a sovereign or superior as a prerogative; a charge on bullion brought to the mint to be coined; the difference between the cost of the bullion plus minting expenses and the value as money of the pieces coined, constituting a source of government revenue. Servile Adjective: slavishly submissive or obsequious; fawning; characteristic of, proper to, or customary for slaves; abject; yielding slavishly; truckling (usually followed by to); extremely imitative, especially in the arts; lacking in originality; being in slavery; oppressed. Synonyms: abject, base, beggarly, bootlicking, craven, cringing, despicable, eating crow, eating humble pie, fawning, humble, ignoble, low, mean, obedient, obeisant, obsequious, passive, slavish, submissive. Antonyms: aggressive, dominant. 299

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Seigniorage

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Synonyms: analysis, audit, inquiry, inspection, investigation, review, search, surveillance, exploration, perusal, scan, sifting, study, survey, tab, view, close-up, eagle eye, long hard look, the eye.

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Shunt Verb: to shove or turn (someone or something) aside or out of the way; to sidetrack; get rid of. Synonyms: avoid, deter, fend off, foil, forestall, halt. Antonyms: aid, allow, assist, help, support. ah

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Slander Noun: defamation; calumny; a malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report; Law. defamation by oral utterance rather than by writing, pictures, etc. 300

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Sizeable Adjective: sizable. Synonyms: colossal, considerable, enormous, gigantic, humongous, monumental, tremendous, vast, whopping, astronomic, epic, ginormous, jumbo, mammoth, massive. Antonyms: insignificant, little, small, teeny.

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Shoulder Verb (used with object): to assume as a responsibility; to push with or as if with the shoulder, especially roughly; to take upon, support, or carry on or as if on the shoulder or shoulders. Verb (used without object): to push with or as if with the shoulder. Noun: the part of each side of the body in humans, at the top of the trunk, extending from each side of the base of the neck to the region where the arm articulates with the trunk. Synonyms: accept, assume, bear, carry, take on, take upon oneself. Antonyms: difference, disproportion, dissimilarity, extreme, imbalance, inequality.

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Verb: to utter slander against; defame.

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Synonyms: defamatory, disparaging, malicious, calumniatory, maligning, opprobrious. dp

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Antonym: complementary.

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Slaughter Noun: the killing or butchering of cattle, sheep, etc., especially for food; the brutal or violent killing of a person; the killing of great numbers of people or animals indiscriminately; carnage. Synonyms: annihilation, bloodbath, bloodshed, butchery, carnage, destruction, extermination, liquidation. Antonym: birth. Sludge Noun: mud, mire, or ooze; slush; a deposit of ooze at the bottom of a body of water; any of various more or less mudlike deposits or mixtures; the sediment in a steam boiler or water tank; broken ice, as on the sea. Synonyms: goo, grease, gunk, muck, sediment, silt, slime, glop, goop, mire, oil, ooze, scum, slop. Snag Noun: a tree or part of a tree held fast in the bottom of a river, lake, etc., and forming an impediment or danger to navigation; a short, projecting stump, as of a branch broken or cut off; any sharp or rough projection; a jagged hole, tear, pull, or run in a fabric, as caused by catching on a sharp projection. Verb: to run or catch up on a snag; to damage by so doing. 301

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Synonyms: barrier, bug, crunch, difficulty, disadvantage, drawback, glitch, hitch, holdup, hurdle, impediment, inconvenience, obstacle, stumbling block, bar, blockade, brake, catch, clog. ah

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Antonyms: advantage, aid, assistance, benefit. Snarl Verb: to growl threateningly or viciously, especially with a raised upper lip to bare the teeth, as a dog; to speak in a surly or threatening manner suggestive of a dog’s snarl. Noun: the act of snarling; a snarling sound or utterance. Synonyms: bark, growl, mutter, abuse, bluster, bully, complain, fulminate, gnarl, mumble, murmur, quarrel, snap, threaten, thunder, yelp. Antonyms: approve, compliment, defend. Spat Noun: a petty quarrel; a light blow; slap; smack. Verb: to engage in a petty quarrel or dispute. Synonyms: altercation, bickering, brouhaha, difference of opinion, disagreement, discord, falling-out, feud, flare-up, fracas, friction, misunderstanding, run-in, squabble, strife. Antonyms: agreement, concord, concurrence, harmony. Squalid Adjective: foul and repulsive, as from lack of care or cleanliness; neglected and filthy; wretched; miserable; degraded; sordid. 302

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Synonyms: dingy, fetid, filthy, grimy, muddy, musty, ramshackle, seedy, shabby, sordid, wretched, abominable, base, brokendown, decayed. ah

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Antonyms: bright, clean, clear, good.

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Stature Noun: the height of a human or animal body; the height of any object; degree of development attained; level of achievement. Synonyms: ability, cachet, caliber, capacity, competence, dignity, eminence, prestige, prominence, qualification, quality, size, standing, status, value. Antonyms: impotence, inability, inadequacy, incompetence, lowliness, unimportance. Stint Verb: to be frugal; get along on a scanty allowance; to cease action; desist; to limit to a certain amount, number, share, or allowance, often unduly; set limits to; restrict; to bring to an end; check. Noun: a period of time spent doing something; an allotted amount or piece of work. Synonyms: assignment, duty, job, spell, stretch, tour, bit, chore, consignment, participation, quota, share, shift, task, term, time. Antonyms: entertainment, failure, fun, pastime. Stipulation Noun: a condition, demand, or promise in an agreement or contract; the act of stipulating. 303

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obligation,

precondition, ah

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clause,

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arrangement,

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Synonyms:

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provision, qualification, requirement, restriction, specification, .w

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Streamline Noun: a teardrop line of contour offering the least possible resistance to a current of air, water, etc.; the path of a particle that is flowing steadily and without turbulence in a fluid past an object. Verb: to make streamlined. Synonyms: consolidate, integrate, rationalize, unify, accumulate, amalgamate, assemble, compact. Antonyms: divide, separate, disorder, disorganize, disperse, enlarge. Stringent Adjective: rigorously binding or exacting; strict; severe; compelling, constraining, or urgent; convincing or forcible. Synonyms: binding, demanding, draconian, exacting, forceful, harsh, inflexible, ironclad, rigorous, severe, stiff, strict, tough, acrimonious, brick-wall, by the book, by the numbers, compelling, confining, convincing, dead set on, drawing, dyedin-the-wool. Antonyms: amenable, calm, easy, easy-going. 304

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Antonyms: disagreement, implication, request, wish.

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Substantial Adjective: of ample or considerable amount, quantity, size, etc.; of a corporeal or material nature; tangible; real; basic or essential; fundamental; wealthy or influential; of real worth, value, or effect. Synonyms: big, consequential, considerable, extraordinary, generous, hefty, large, massive, meaningful, serious, significant, sizable. Antonyms: broken, inconsiderable, insignificant, intermittent, little, meaningless, miniature, minor, selfish. ah

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Tad Noun: a small child, especially a boy; a very small amount or degree; bit. Synonyms: babe, chick, child, kid, toddler, youngster, bairn, bambino, bundle, buttercup, button, cherub, crawler, deduction, dividend, dumpling, newborn, nipper. Antonyms: adult, adolescent. 305

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Synergy Noun: the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements, contributions, etc.; synergism. Synonyms: teamwork, alliance, coaction, harmony, symbiosis, synergism, union, unity, combined effort, team effort, teaming, working together. Antonyms: discord, divorce, separation.

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Tempt

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Verb: to entice or allure to do something often regarded as unwise, wrong, or immoral; to attract, appeal strongly to, or invite; to render strongly disposed to do something.

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Tenet Noun: any opinion, principle, doctrine, dogma, etc., especially one held as true by members of a profession, group, or movement. Synonyms: assumption, credo, creed, doctrine, dogma, faith, precept, presumption, teaching, canon, conception, conviction, impression, maxim, opinion, persuasion, position, profession, rule, system, thesis. Antonyms: disbelief, doubt, reality, skepticism. Threshold Noun: the sill of a doorway; the entrance to a house or building; any place or point of entering or beginning. Synonyms: brink, verge, dawn, door, doorstep, doorway, edge, entrance, gate, inception, origin, outset, point, sill, vestibule. Antonyms: middle, completion, conclusion, death. 306

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Antonyms: bore, depress, discourage, disenchant.

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Synonyms: appeal to, attract, captivate, charm, dare, fascinate, induce, intrigue, invite, motivate, persuade, seduce, stimulate, tantalize, woo, allure, bait, coax, court, decoy, draw, entrap, honey, hook, incite, influence, instigate, inveigle, move, oil, promote.

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Tightrope

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Noun: a rope or wire cable, stretched tight, on which acrobats .w

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perform feats of balancing, a tough situation.

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(one’s way, course, etc.) on or as on a tightrope. Tremor Noun: involuntary shaking of the body or limbs, as from disease, fear, weakness, or excitement; a fit of trembling; any tremulous or vibratory movement; vibration; a trembling or quivering effect, as of light. Synonyms: earthquake, shiver, upheaval, vibration, agitation, flutter, quake, quaking, quaver, quiver, quivering, ripple, shake, shivering. Antonyms: stillness. Triumph Noun: the act, fact, or condition of being victorious or triumphant;

victory;

conquest;

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significant

success

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noteworthy achievement; instance or occasion of victory. Verb: to gain a victory; be victorious; win; to gain mastery; prevail. Synonyms: celebration, joy, pride, elation, exultation, festivity, jubilance, jubilation, jubilee, merriment, rejoicing, reveling, exultance. Antonyms: disaster, failure, forfeit, loss. 307

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Verb: to walk, move, or proceed on or as on a tightrope; to make

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Tweak

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Verb: to pinch and pull with a jerk and twist; to pull or pinch the ss re

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nose of, especially gently; to make a minor adjustment to.

Synonyms: tease, twist, jerk, pinch, pluck, pull. U Unequivocally Adverb: in a way that is clear and unambiguous; in a way that is not subject to conditions or exceptions. Synonyms:

clearly,

determinedly,

positively,

really,

terribly,

distinctly,

unmistakably,

downright, emphatically,

absolutely, bloody, by all means, decisively, flat out, for a fact, in spades, no catch. Antonym: doubtfully. Underscore Verb: to mark with a line or lines underneath; underline, as for emphasis; to stress; emphasize. Noun: a line drawn beneath something written or printed; music for a film soundtrack; background for a film or stage production. Synonyms: accentuate, highlight, indicate, mark, stress, accent, caption, feature, italicize. 308

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Noun: an act or instance of tweaking; a sharp, twisting pull or

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Vantage Noun: a position, condition, or place affording some advantage or a commanding view; an advantage or superiority.

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Vigilante Noun: a member of a vigilance committee; any person who takes the law into his or her own hands, as by avenging a crime. Adjective: done violently and summarily, without recourse to lawful procedures. Synonyms: angel, attendant, cerberus, champion, chaperon, chaperone, conservator, cop, curator, custodian, defender, escort, guard, keeper, nurse, overseer. Vigor Noun: active strength or force; healthy physical or mental energy or power; vitality; energetic activity; energy; intensity; force of healthy growth in any living matter or organism, as a plant; active or effective force, especially legal validity. Synonyms: ability, agility, alertness, capability, dynamism, endurance, intensity, potency, quickness, strength, urgency, vitality, action, activity, bang. Antonyms: apathy, clumsiness, impotence, inability. 309

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Antonyms: bad fortune, bad luck, block, blockage.

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Synonyms: aid, ascendancy, asset, assistance, authority, avail, blessing, boon, break, choice, comfort, convenience, dominance, drop, edge, eminence.

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Waul Verb: give a loud plaintive cry like that of a cat.

Wholehearted Adjective: showing or characterized by complete sincerity and commitment. Synonyms: committed, positive, emphatic, devoted, dedicated, enthusiastic, unshakeable, unflinching, unswerving, constant, staunch, loyal X Xenic Adjective: of, relating to, or employing a culture medium containing one or more unidentified organisms Xenophobia Noun: dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries. 310

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Waiver Noun: an act or instance of waiving a right or claim; a document recording the waiving of a right or claim. Synonyms: renunciation, surrender, repudiation, rejection, relinquishment, abdication, disavowal, refusal, disaffirmation, dispensation

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Wean Verb: be strongly influenced by (something), especially from an early age.

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Synonyms: racism, racialism, racial hatred, ethnocentrism, ah

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between host and guest Y Yatter Verb: to chatter or jabber. Yowl Verb: to utter a long, distressful or dismal cry, as an animal or a person; howl. Noun: a yowling cry; a howl. Synonyms: bawl, bay, caterwaul, cry, holler, howl, mewl, scream, screech, squall, squeal, ululate, wail, whine, yell, yelp. Z Zeal Noun: fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence; ardor. Synonyms: ardor, determination, devotion, diligence, eagerness, earnestness, fanaticism, fervor, gusto, inclination, intensity, passion, perseverance, sincerity, spirit, urgency, verve, warmth, zest, alacrity, bustle, dispatch, drive, enterprise, fierceness, fire. Antonyms: apathy, coolness, disinterest, dullness. 311

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Adjective: of, relating to, or constituting hospitality or relations

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Zenith Noun: the point on the celestial sphere vertically above a given position or observer; a highest point or state; culmination. ah

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Synonyms: acme, altitude, apex, apogee, cap, capstone, climax, crest, crown, culmination, elevation, eminence, height, meridian.

Verb: to give zest, relish, or piquancy to. Zonule Noun: a little zone, belt, band, or the like.

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Zest Noun: keen relish; hearty enjoyment; gusto; an agreeable or piquant flavor imparted to something.

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Antonyms: base, bottom, depth, lowness.