Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

It is well accorded that COVID-19 extracts a huge toll on the mental health of patients and leaves behind a slew of neurological sequelae in its wake. However, what is alarming is the wide gamut of mental and neurological disorders seen even in those with milder symptoms. Such patients frequently reported being anxious, depressed and having difficulty in sleeping. A higher incidence of frank psychosis manifesting as disorganization of thought processes and personality disorders was also reported. Many survivors of COVID19 had to battle substance abuse in its immediate aftermath. There was a steep increase in the amount of alcohol consumed by regular drinkers. Persons who had stopped smoking and consuming alcohol resumed their habit in disconcerting numbers.

The occurrence of neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinsonism is concerning as this would bring longterm disability in the form of impaired mobility and memory decline. It has been hypothesized that the causative mechanism for many of the neurological conditions due to COVID-19 may be the direct invasion of the nervous system by the virus, an increased tendency to blood clotting or an exaggerated immune response by the body. Various other factors like pre-existing psychiatric illness, prolonged quarantine, perceived lack of organizational support, and social stigma are risk factors. Anxiety, Nervousness, and Posttraumatic stress disorder are often fuelled by fear of infecting other family members, physical distancing, loneliness, and ________ at home in cramped quarters.

The pandemic has radically transformed the way businesses function and services delivered. Remote working disrupts a healthy-work life balance. Face to face contact and human interactions which were considered so essential for emotional well-being has taken a backseat. Lack of comforting physical contact like shaking hands and hugging friends is stressful and disconcerting. Online classes and home-schooling have placed a gargantuan burden both on students and parents. Lack of access to reliable computer hardware and spotty internet connections, particularly in rural areas and in the economically backward have created a new class divide. Children have been deprived of co-curricular activities, participation in group events and sports which is essential for their holistic development. Mental stress and fatigue have increased manyfold due to the rigours imposed by virtual learning.

What is the hypothesis behind the many neurological conditions arising due to COVID-19?

In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.

Deforestation in tropical regions can (1) ______ the way water vapour is produced over the canopy, (2) ______ causes reduced rainfall. A 2019 study published in the journal Ecohydrology showed that parts of the Amazon rainforest that (3) ______ converted to agricultural land (4) ______ higher soil and air temperatures, which could (5) ______ drought conditions.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 3.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.
 I like eating chocolates, ______ I hate dark ones. 

Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph.

A. Because the educational institution's teaching staff is actively involved.

B. Curricular or academic activities refer to activities that cover the specified courses of study.

C. These exercises are an essential component of the overall educational curriculum.

D. In layman's terms, ‘curricular activities’ are activities that take place within the classroom.

Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom.

Snail’s pace

Select the option that can be used as a one-word substitute for the given group of words.
 The study of population and its dynamics

Select the sentences that contains no spelling errors.

In the following question, a sentence is given with four words marked as (A), (B), (C) and (D). These words may or may not be placed in their correct order. Four options with different arrangements of these words have been provided. Mark the option with the correct arrangement as the answer. If no rearrangement is required, mark option (5) as your answer.

He helped (A) her up and she tried (B) to stand, but her legs (C) felt like rubber (D).