The 1^st and the last sentences of the passage are numbered 1 and 6. The rest of the passage is split into four parts P, Q, R and S. These four parts are not given in their proper order. Read the sentence and find out which of the four combinations is correct. The find the correct answer and indicate it in the answer sheet.

1. Some animals like fishes lay eggs and leave them.
P. The mother does not care for the eggs at all.
Q. They lay thousands of eggs at a time but do not look after them.
R. Most of the eggs die and only a few of them develop into fishes.
S. She simply leaves the eggs and never comes back to them.
6. Is this not something terrible? Yet, it is a fact.

Directions : In these questions , a part of the sentence is given in bold . Below are given alternatives to the bold part at (A) , (B) and (C) which may improve the sentence . Choose the correct alternative . In case no improvement is needed you answer is (D ) .

They dismissed him before he had have a chance to apologize.

Official latter are written to ………………………….

Direction (1-6): Read the passage carefully then answer the questions given below.
People have long circulated news via word-of-mouth, and as language evolved into writing and literacy – and governments played larger roles in people’s lives – sharing information became a necessity. However, disseminating news and information on paper presented significant challenges. When each copy had to be handwritten, mass distribution was impossible. They were first chiseled in stone or metal; later, they were handwritten and distributed in public forums or read from scrolls by town criers. Though both ancient Romans and Chinese – as well as other ancient civilizations – had early forms of news media, they do not qualify as newspapers because they could not be mass-distributed.
 The first true newspapers arrived after Johannes Gutenberg introduced his movable type printing press to the European world around 1440. Though printing presses with movable type had existed in eastern Asia for around two centuries, they never made it to Europe; furthermore, Gutenberg’s version made it significantly faster to mass produce documents. By 1500, the printing press had made its way throughout Europe, and news sheets (or news books) were mass-distributed.
 The first weekly newspaper was published in Germany by Johann Carolus in 1604. Called Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien, the publication satisfied the four tenets of a “true” newspaper: Accessibility by the public, Published at a regular interval (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.) ,Information is current ,Covers a variety of topics (politics, events, entertainment, sports, etc.) Despite meeting the requirements for a newspaper, there is some debate as to whether The Relation qualifies as the world’s first newspaper since it was printed in quarto, not folio, size. It’s worth noting the World Association of Newspapers considers The Relation the first true newspaper.’
 Other German newspapers followed, and in 1618 the world’s first broadsheet newspaper printed in folio size was published in Amsterdam, called Courante uyt Italien, Duytslandt, &c. The newspaper format soon spread throughout Europe, with newspapers published in Spain, France, and Sweden. The first English newspaper was published in 1665 in Oxford, England. Known as the Oxford Gazette, the newspaper moved to London in 1666 and was renamed the London Gazette. It’s still being published today. Soon after, the newspaper became a staple in all major European countries. It then made its way to the New World.

What paved the way for the “true newspapers”? 

In each of the following questions, sentences are given with blanks to be filled in with an appropriate word (s). Four alternatives are suggested for each question. Choose the correct alternative out of the four and indicate your choice for the correct answer.

Teachers would like ______________a long holiday.

Direction: Use the verbs given in brackets either in Active or Passive according to sense of the given sentence.
The dinner….yet when our guests arrived. (prepare)

Directions : In these questions , a part of the sentence is given in bold . Below are given alternatives to the bold part at (A) , (B) and (C) which may improve the sentence . Choose the correct alternative . In case no improvement is needed you answer is (D ) .

The sun hid behind a cloud and it seemed like a light (have been switched) off.

Direction (Q.131 to 140): In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage, against each, five words are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.

Once upon a time a foolish brahmin (131) to Birbal with a strange request. He wanted to be (132) as ' pandit’. Now, the term pandit ' (133) to a man of knowledge. But unfortunately, this poor brahmin was uneducated. Birbal tried to explain the difference to him saying that it was not correct to call an uneducated man a pandit and because of this very reason it would be improper to call him so . But, the silly brahmin had his heart (134) on this title. Birbal came up with a brilliant solution and said that as the brahmin was an uneducated man he should (135) abuses and stones at anyone who dared to address him by the very same title. Then Birbal called all his servants and ordered them to call this brahmin pandit. The brahmin was very pleased. But the moment the servants started calling out to him as ' pandit ' he pretended to be very angry and (136) abusing them loudly. Then he picked up a few stones and hurled them in their direction. All this shouting and screaming (137) a crowd. When people realised that this brahmin was erupting every time someone called him pandit’, they all started to (138 ) him. Over the next couple of days, he would constantly hear the word ' pandit ' wherever he went very soon the whole town started referring to him as ' pandit ' much to his (139). The foolish brahmin never realised why people were calling him a pandit. He was extremely pleased with the result. He (140) Birbal from the bottom of his heart.

Fill in the blank (140).